My One-Shots
by Tiffany Smithi
Summary: GW2 fanfics. Spoiler level varies. Includes what would happen if: Mordremoth had a stronger connection with a sylvari PC (ch5), Mordremoth had REASONS for its actions (ch4), a sylvari PC was turned in Hearts and Minds (ch8), you looked into Vriré's past (ch9), the Commander decided that 'priority 1: search and rescue' in HoT (ch12), Joko Awakened Trahearne (ch13). NO PAIRINGS
1. Chapter 1: Tendrils of Terror

MY ONE-SHOTS

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Summary: On our way to Rata Novus, we encountered a camp of Pact escapees that a strange monster was terrorizing. Me and Braham went to find and kill it, while the rest of the team stayed behind. Three different paths led three different ways - the center path seemed most likely to lead where I wanted to go, so I chose that one. Surprise, surprise! This is where the storyline diverges greatly... there are two questions - _who_ do we find, along with _what_? Not anything like what you'll be expecting. Kind of uses a different scene for the center path... This'll be out of character, definitely.. I'm bad at making everybody in character... except me, cuz she's me... kinda gamified. reviving and stuff.

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Chapter one: Tendrils of Terror

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 _Author's Notes:_

If I put something in {curly brackets} that is me giving you information that it would be hard to transmit in story mode. Note: I _might_ continue this, but I doubt it. If it ever amounts to something, I'll put it in a separate fic.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

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"Looks like there are three ways forward," Braham observes. "Which one do we take?"

"We're trying to find the magister, and hopefully kill whatever's been terrorizing the camp. I don't like the looks of those other two, and the center path most likely leads straight to the beasts' lair."

"Let's go,"

The Commander goes cautiously down the path.

"Whoa. Those grubs might seem friendly now, but I bet they'll be terribly vicious if we invade their territory. There's vines and rocks all around, though, we can probably get across without bothering them." she observes.

She leaps from one vine to the next, carefully. There are some rocks embedded in the walls, and some along the floor. Then, as she lands carefully on one thick vine, she notices movement below her, on a large rock. As she peers around the vine, a small form moves closer to the wall, away from the water.

It's Zojja! 'How did she get here?' The Commander wonders. 'Lieutenant Morrison said that she and Logan and Trahearne had created a diversion, not escaped with them. And even if she had escaped, how did she get in this cave?'

'Whatever. However she got here, she's here', the Commander decides, jumping down from the vine, careful not to get too near the water.

"Zojja, are you alright?" she asks.

"I'm fine... I don't think Taimi is, though."

"Taimi's here?" the Commander says in surprise. "I thought she was back at the camp?"

"I only know that she's a little ways ahead, over there. I can't find any way off this rock. I think she's stuck, as well."

"Do you think those grubs could do much?" the Commander thinks out loud. "If we just ran past them, they'd probably be easy to deal with once we're on firmer ground."

"Commander? Is that you?" comes a voice deeper in the cave, echoing off the walls. The source is out of sight.

"Yes... is that you, Taimi?"

"Yeah... I'm fine, but I'm stuck."

The Commander looks back the way she came, to see Braham by the edge of the water. "You okay there, Braham?"

"Yeah. This water seems like it's deeper than on first sight, if you look closely." he responds. "It's probably full of a lot more grubs, too."

"Okay, we can do this." the Commander says. "There might be a lot of them, but they're just grubs."

Nevertheless, as she wades into the water in the direction Taimi's voice had come from, she tries to avoid the grubs. It _is_ deeper than it looks - almost waist-high.

All of a sudden, the grubs writhe for a few moments as if in pain, and transform into long tendrils... not the type of tendrils she's seen before, though, more like tentacles. Mossy tentacles. Immediately, the Commander dashes onto the next rock, which is were Taimi is.

The Commander looks back in surprise, and the rock she'd found Zojja on is only a few feet away, in clear sight. She shudders - something is playing tricks with her senses.

"Come on, Taimi, this is creepy," she says, but the mossy tentacles have surrounded the rock. "Let's get this over with."

"Commander!" Braham shouts just before she jumps, but too late - she leaps over the tentacles into... clear _er_ water, followed by Taimi. Braham runs into the water.

Braham had seen something the rest of them hadn't - the floor of the cavern, under the water, had turned slimy and mossy. The Commander slipped, and slid to the base of the large rock.

Then, the tentacles suddenly multiply, and then they weren't tentacles at all, they were moss-snakes, or snakes made out of moss. Or vines. Or something, anyway. Sentient moss. The Commander wasn't hanging around to find out. She scrambles onto the rock that Zojja is still on, pulling Taimi after her.

Braham scrambles backwards out of the water, and the moss all sinks into the water, and everything becomes still. It is as if it was watching. Waiting.

The Commander, Taimi, and Zojja are as close to the wall as they could get, holding their breath and hoping the moss-stuff couldn't climb rocks. Braham is several feet back from the water, nearer the beginning of the cavern.

A surprisingly short time later, all the ripples had faded out against the walls of the cavern.

A splash, loud in the silence, sounded from the end of the cavern where Braham was. The Commander saw a solidly thick tendril of vines retreating into a hole in the wall, after having pushed Braham into the water.

Braham tries to get back on the land, but the other mossy stuff pulls him back.

The Commander rushes into the water to save him, but another tendril of moss grabs her from behind.

The same happens to Zojja and Taimi.

The three can only watch while Braham wrestles with the moss - hard to do, when it's _moss_.

"Get my staff, Zojja!" the Commander says. The moss tightens it's grip on her and Zojja - how does it do that, it's _moss_ \- and around the Commander's neck, restricting her air supply.

"How do you have a - ?"

"Not - now!" the Commander snaps, struggling with the moss. "Just do something with it!"

Zojja, knowing she can't do anything about the moss tendrils that were pulling Braham further from the edge of the water, instead crispifies the moss holding her, Taimi, and the Commander. The moss surrounding Braham freezes for a moment, allowing him to try getting anywhere with fighting it, but resumes it's attack almost immediately.

"Come on!" the Commander says recklessly, running into the water again.

The mossy tendrils latched onto her and pulled her out, to the middle of the surprisingly wider cavern, but still too far from Braham to do anything.

The Commander pulls out her sword and whacks the moss away, cutting it close to the water, which frees her for a moment and she scrambles up onto a separate rock.

Meanwhile, the moss around Braham seems to have increased a lot, and was all over him, and it was pulling him downwards. He was unsuccesfully trying to get out the same way the Commander had, but failing, on account of the moss having apparently learned to not let people draw sharp weapons. Or any weapons.

"Braham!" Taimi shouts, trying to run into the water.

"Taimi!" Zojja shouts, pulling her back. "We can just revive him later, but those tendrils of moss could easily hide you at the bottom and we'd never find you!"

"We won't be able to!" Taimi says frantically, in hurried words all jumbled together, and she is hardly understandable even if Zojja did know exactly what words she was using. "It eats its victims, and even if we kill the bit over there, it's all one! We can't kill the whole thing!"

She struggles out of Zojja's grip and ran into the water. Zojja was right about Taimi being too small to find afterwards - the moss seemed to increase in mass sometimes, and decrease others.

"Taimi!" Zojja shouted frantically. She tried using her affinity with water to clear the way, but the water didn't respond. She tried raising a platform of earth up on which to stay out of the water with, which did work, but it was slippery and mossy.

"I can't do anything with water here!" Zojja said frantically.

"Ignite my arrows!" the Commander said, shooting at the mass surrounding Braham. She was careful not to hit him with her arrows.

At the same time, Zojja notices moss creeping along the walls, half-way up by now. As she ignites the Commander's arrows, she burns the moss on the walls as well, remembering the moss freezing when she'd burned it earlier.

It kind of worked. The parts on the walls burned to a crisp, halting it's battle against Braham, but the moss surrounding him didn't burn at all, it simply smoked a moment.

"It's got an affinity with water! Fire can't hurt but in large amounts!" the Commander shouted.

"I can't overcome that without hurting Braham!"

"It won't kill him though! Try it!" Taimi says. She is on the earthen pathway to Braham, but hadn't made hardly any progress - it was slippery, and the moss was breaking it up and it was unstable to begin with.

Zojja calls in a strong wind to maybe dry out the moss, but a sheen of water seemed to come up over the dry spots. The air forms a pocket in between Braham and the moss, effectively keeping the moss out, along with everything else but air. Having found that air was the most effective, Zojja kept using it. She pushs the moss back even more.

Tiffany's arrows still aren't doing anything, passing through the moss like... well, like moss, but her sword still did something, now she had more breathing room. She launched herself over the water, slashing at the moss.

The moss simply fell to the bottom of the water, when cut, where it regrouped with itself and came back. Tiffany gasps. It was all one.

Braham, now he had enough space to draw his weapons, and erected a large shield the surrounded him from all angles.

{ Guardian skill with a shield: Create a dome around you that pushes foes back and absorbs projectiles. Guardian skill with a mace: Surround yourself and nearby allies with a shield. Damage foes that strike protected allies, and then apply boons in a radius. I researched Braham's weapons.}

The tendrils of moss, unable to push through Braham's barrier, smarms over to the Commander, who slashes at the tendrils, buying time.

"I'm fine!" Braham shouts. "Protect the Commander!"

The Commander tries shooting at the moss for her stealth effect, but the arrow passed through like before. Slashing and cutting the moss wouldn't work forever - it just regroups. It is effective for delay, but she couldn't keep it up for long. Zojja again burned the moss that had crept up the walls, which made the tendrils freeze again for a moment.

Braham, now that the tendrils had left him alone, scrambled onto the raised earthen path and out of the water.

The Commander, still on her rock, was being overrun by tendrils of moss. Zojja couldn't reproduce the air-bubble effect she'd been able to around Braham, as the Commander's sword swinging through the air would cut the bubble and negate it's effect, and the Commander couldn't afford to stop long enough for the bubble to form.

Zojja raised another earthen path like the first, leading to the Commander. Braham got to the Commander and re-erected his shield. Zojja and Taimi joined him, so the four were surrounded by the shield.

"We can't escape this!" the Commander said. "Braham can't move with his shield, and the air-bubble takes too much concentration to maintain. We'll have to wait until someone rescues us."

"We can't wait!" Taimi said. "Holding up this shield also takes alot of energy, and we can't hold it up forever."

"Me and Braham can take turns - with the shield, I have enough space to put up the air bubble until Braham's recovered enough to use the shield again. We can trade it off like that until help arrives."

"Can you do that?" the Commander asked. "Doesn't it take a while to recover from long usage of something that way?"

"The moss might not be affected by fire," Taimi said, "but fire will still keep it away."

"Will it?" the Commander asked. "The grubs it was before it was mossy tendrils looked to be the fire-spitting kind."

"We'll just hold out as long as we can." Braham said.

"We don't have any way of contacting everyone, back at the camp."

"They'll be along sooner or later, I'm sure." Braham said. "In the meantime, mind telling us how you two got here?"

"After you guys left, I was poking around the camp where the Lieutenant was when Scruffy started picking up readings - he can tell whenever Zojja's around, remember when you set that up?" she asked Zojja

"Yeah, you kept running off and getting lost, and needing help getting back. So I gave you a device and tuned it to pick up readings from a device I constructed. I got in the habit of carrying it around with me - and it's odd not to have the weight of it. So I never stopped wearing it."

"Yeah, and then I put my end of it inside Scruffy so it would be easier to use, and Scruffy picked up the signal. And so of course I tried to find you!"

"But how did you get here, Zojja?" the Commander asks.

"Apparently, Mordrem don't know much about asura. When the dragons awoke last time, Mordremoth awoke before Primordus, I suppose he doesn't know what asura are. He didn't have any sort of prison cell woven tight enough to keep an asura in. So I got out while all the other commotion was being made with the other prisoners escaping. I was just running from the one Mordrem that noticed me, and ended up here somehow. I suppose the Mordrem got eliminated by the moss. And then Taimi came from that end, and then we were stuck, and then you came."

"But how did you get here before we did?" the Commander asks Taimi.

"I didn't know which way you'd taken at the split, and I took the dark path. I got most of the way, but then Scruffy's readings changed direction - I programmed it to point the quickest route to you, Zojja, and not tell me to go through a wall - and I didn't know where I was. I suppose all the paths meet up, and I stumbled into this cave. I left Scruffy near the entrance to the far end of the cavern."

The mossy tentacles swarmed to the far end of the cavern, out of sight. "No!" Taimi yells.

"They're gone, let's get out of here!" Braham said, letting the shield drop.

"Zojja, they're out of the water, burn them!" Taimi says.

It worked, at least, better than before. Zojja tried the method with drying the tentacles out, which sort of worked, but the moss was still touching the water, spreading it over itself in protection.

Instead, Zojja used the air to lift Taimi over the water and land her by Scruffy. She did the same to everyone else, and then did the air-shield like before. They were now at least in a better position than before, and they had Scruffy with them now, too.

The moss tentacles writhe, as if in anger.

"What were you shouting, about the moss being one, earlier?" Zojja asks Taimi.

"It is!"

"But what does that mean?" the Commander asks.

"Back before you got here, Commander, the grubs were kind of... hunting. I could somehow tell they weren't hunting for food, but just to kill stuff, but it ate it anyway. So, I knew it just ate it's victims. And back when the tentacle things pushed Braham into the water, it was really thick in mass. And when it grabbed us to keep us from helping Braham, it seemed to increase in mass when you told Zojja to get your staff, like it knew we were trying to kill it. And whenever Zojja burned the moss, the other moss would all freeze, like it was hurt. And when the Commander cut it with her sword, it was still wriggling, until it got back together. So even if one little section had done anything, it would join back up with the bigger part and we wouldn't be able to get to Braham or anything. And when you tried to dry it out, Zojja, it just got wet again. I think that was it shifting, replacing the dry parts with wet parts, and so drying it out wouldn't do anything, and it's invulnerable to fire because of the water."

"That... makes a creepy kind of sense." the Commander said. "And you're right, I don't think we could kill it, not if it regroups when hit by a sword and is pretty much invulnerable to the elements."

"Where did you get a staff from, Commander?"

"Oh, I specialized in Druid. It lets me use a staff, and when I'm using it I'm much more healing-oriented. So I had the staff on me. You keep it until we get out of here, and even after, I suppose, until we find one for you. I got along without it fine before I had it, I'll manage."

"So, any way we can go and save the magister now?"

"Not until those tendrils go away or until we're rescued, no." the Commander says. "You okay with that bubble, Zojja?"

"It's fine," Zojja replies.

"Hey!" Braham says, getting an idea. "How about you just make a wall that keeps the tentacles out, and we can escape this way? We couldn't do that before because weren't near a way out, but half the trouble with maintaining the bubble is that it's hard to keep up and near you while moving."

"Neat idea!" Taimi says. "Try it, Zojja!"

The mossy tendrils instantly try to go around them, but in order to do so it had to sever contact with the water, and Zojja took the chance to dry it out and burn it again - at least the parts close by. Once it had retreated enough, a wall of air formed at the narrowest part of the cave.

"Let's go!" Braham says, and the Commander leads the way.

"Whoa! That's definitly no Mordrem," Braham says, as he caught sight of a large beast.

"And there's the magister," the Commander says. "I'd thought the thing terrorizing the camp was the moss thing in the cave, but it seems reluctant to leave the water."

"And the bodies," Braham adds. "They weren't eaten. It must be this thing."

"Let's kill it."

"I need to maintain focus on the air wall back there, guys. You'll be on your own for this fight." Zojja said.

"That's fine." the Commander says, releasing a volley of arrows at the beast. "It might not be Mordrem, but it'll still die."

After the beast was defeated, the Commander tries to speak with the magister.

"Commander?" he says weakly.

"We're going to get you out of here." the Commander tells him firmly.

"No... just save the other prisoners... Marshal Trahearne and Captain Thackeray..."

"I know. Where did they go?"

"Due... south," the magister replies with his dying breath.

"We didn't get here soon enough to save him." Braham says.

"The Itzel said the jungle provides, but it provides nothing but death and Mordrem." the Commander says sadly.

"But we provide vengeance," Braham replies.

"That's right."

"Commander?" Taimi says. "...Come and see this."

The Commander and Braham go over to Taimi.

"There must be hundreds of them!" Braham gasps.

"We're _not_ wading into that." the Commander says decidedly. "We need to get back to our mission."

"Commander?"

"Kas! What are you doing here?"

"Some more Pact soldiers showed up and secured the camp."

"What did we miss?" Rytlock asks.

"A bunch of moss." Taimi says dryly.

"And a giant...bug... thing." Braham added.

"Taimi! There you are." Rytlock says.

"And how is a bunch of moss worth mentioning more than that?" Kasmeer asked, pointing to the large chak.

"It was sentient moss, of course." Zojja says.

"Zojja?" Rytlock said. "I thought you were with Marshal Trahearne and Logan?"

"Mordrem are very bad at keeping asura prisoner. And others are bad at keeping an eye on them." Zojja says.

"That's great."

"Anything about where the caravan is headed?" Rox asks.

"The magister said it was headed south. Is that what you've got, Zojja?"

"Yeah, pretty much. Trahearne and Logan were both in rather bad shape."

"We need to rescue them!" Kasmeer says.

"I admit it's a hard choice, and I'm all for saving them too, but we can't just abandon the trip to Rata Novus! The Novan scientists and their research on elder dragons could prove invaluable!"

"Rata Novus?" Zojja says in shock. "You found Rata Novus?"

"We found where it should be located," the Commander replied. "But yes. The Exalted in Tarir said that they were researching the Elder Dragons. But we also can't just leave Marshal Trahearne and Logan in the hands of the Mordrem."

"Why don't we split up? Me and Taimi can go to Rata Novus, along with a few others, and you can go after Trahearne and Logan." Zojja offered.

"I suppose that could work..." the Commander replies slowly. "You sure you can get there on your own? This place seems to be infested with chak."

"We'll be fine. Especially with Mr. Sparkles and Scruffy."

"Mr Sparkles was destroyed in the crash, Zojja." Rytlock tells her. "At least, that's what I heard from the Commander."

"Yes. I'm afraid he didn't survive it."

"Oh." Zojja looks surprised for a moment. "I'm sure we can make it with just Scruffy, though. Of course, if somebody else wants to come, too, it wouldn't be a problem."

"If this lost city has a dragon kill switch, I want to come." Braham says.

"That'd work," the Commander nods. "Rox'll leave signs for you to follow once you're done there. Oh, and Taimi? If that Exalted device that showed us where Rata Novus is had it's connector things degraded, I'm quite sure that if Rata Novus is deserted like I suspect, everything there will be degraded, too. You might want to take some repair parts."

"Great idea, Commander. Let's go!"

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THE END


	2. Chapter 2: NEVER Call Zojja 'Cute

MY ONE-SHOTS

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Summary: Well, the title's pretty self-explanatory.

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 _Author's Notes:_

I have no idea why the Commander says this... she doesn't really, this was just my siblings talking about things being cute and my brain merged cute and GW2 and this emerged. I thought; asura, cute - hey - oh no, if I ever said that, Zojja... oh dear.

This chapter started when I was writing the author's notes for a story I have not posted yet. Which explains the references to writing a chapter.

It takes place during an imaginary meeting before the Pact ships are launched at Mordremoth.

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"Zojja's so cu - "

Zojja glares at the Commander. With a 'don't-you-dare' glare. You know the one? And then she startes walking over.

" - she's Zojja. You know what I mean right? She's all geniusly smart and no one would have survived if we didn't have Zojja on the team right? And we wouldn't have Taimi either! And we probably would all have died fighting Zhaitan! She put the airship back together in time to get away from the Risen giants right? Right? Ahh! Save me from the pyro-maniac that also deals with air and water and earth! Save me! Taimi tell her to not kill me!  
...I don't think I'll be able to write this chapter, guys... Zojja's operating on my brain to remove any idea that Zojja is at all - um ... yeah. ARGH! Oh yeah. I was just - commenting on how sweet it was the first thing she said when we saved her from Mordremoth was 'where's Taimi' over and over! ARGH!  
...yeah. I won't - won't be able to write this chapter - guys. Zojja what are you - no! I - don't want - I'm not - a - you - put - my - mind - inside - Mr - Sparkles. Why - do - you - want - me - to - be - a - golem - Zojja? Is - that - a - remote - control - - - my - body - is - moving - on - it's - own - why - did - you - do - this - to - me - don't - push - the - mute - butto - "

"She's much better this way! I can't believe you didn't think of that before, Zojja!" Taimi exclaims.

"It's my best invention!" Zojja says happily.

"I'll say! No one has to listen to the Commander being all heroic and rushing into a place where she could die just to save one of us!"

Mr Sparkles (with the Commander's mind inside) is acting all angry and pointing at Trahearne. It's obvious she's saying 'he's the one who did that!'

Rytlock hops out of the rift from the Mists.

"What happened? Where's the Commander?"

"We put her mind in Mr Sparkles, and pushed the mute button so she wouldn't talk and be annoying!" Taimi says happily.

Rytlock just stares.

Canach walks over, wondering what all the fuss was about.

"Oh neat, you robotized the Commander. Now she'll just be more annoying." he rolls his eyes.

"There's a mute button!"

"Oh, good idea."

Logan runs over.

"Hey! Put her back!"

"Why?"

"Because it's the Commander! Are you going to keep her muted forever?"

"No of course not! All she has to do is wave her arm to say she needs to say something important!"

The Commander waves her arm.

"What is it?"

"As - Commander - I - order - you - to - get - me - out - of - this - golem."

"Why would we do that?"

"Because - Rytlock - will - force - you - to - because - he's - a - charr - and - they - always - listen - to - their - orders."

"Uh-oh. RUN!"

"Thanks Rytlock."

"No problem, Commander."

"I suppose it's my fault. I was in the middle of saying that Zojja was cute."

"You _**WHAT**_? Are you - I should let them put you back in, just to teach you not to say that around Zojja! Or at all!"

"Really?"

"Yes. _ZOJJA!_ "

" _ **Run!**_ "

THE END

I hope you laughed enough with this chapter to tide you over 'till the next one!


	3. Chapter 3: Daring Rescue

MY ONE-SHOTS

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Summary: You (the Commander), are exploring the wreckage in the chapter _Torn From the Sky_. You got there about an hour earlier than you did in the original story, so there are still Mordrem and Mordrem Guard exploring the wreckage and taking prisoners. You look around until you find the leader, of sorts, giving orders to the Mordrem. Before you attack, you hear some of the instructions: "the jungle dragon wants his prisoners _alive_ for questioning! Kill nothing!" Then, you attack. After you kill the leader, the Mordrem scatter. What happens next is for you to find out.

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Chapter Three: Daring Rescue

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Anyway, this features no time-traveling whatsoever, although my character may display knowledge she shouldn't really have at this point... just pretend they got in a conversation and sombody told her earlier. She won't display big knowledge that she couldn't have known, like that Trahearne dies or that we discovered Rata Novus, only small things like that Scruffy has energy conducting thingies in him.

This chapter will be conducted in something-person player format, so instead of saying "the Commander then shot a bunch of arrows at once" it'll say "you then applied skill number 2". Got it? I'll have a list of my skills with a bow and sword in these notes somwhere, so you can refer to that if you're lost.

Plus, normally you can only have two weapons at a time with Weapon Switching, but I added in my fifth skill with two hand-axes, just because.

Also, I can shoot while gliding. Yes, you're not 'supposed' to have gliding the first time you do this quest, but I'm fudging other stuff, arent I?

And my pet doesn't vanish when I glide, it stays where it was on the ground and follows my orders. If it doesn't have any orders, it just stands around and attacks anything that attacks it, and teleports to my location when I land unless I tell it otherwise. My pet is kind of sentient. Instead of clicking buttons to tell it to come, go, do it's special attack, I'll give it verbal commands. Just pretend that throughout the whole personal story from level one, Beorn has been an essential part of the quests, so that I don't have to do the whole "when did you have a pet bear? Oh yeah, he's just been sorta following you around for a few years" thing.

I don't have a glider bar. Well, sort of. How about we just pretend I _also_ have the Lean Techniques Mastery and the one where normal gliding doesn't use the glider bar, Advanced Gliding. Aw, just can it. No glider bar, period. It's too confusing.

the Lean Techniques Mastery is where you get to push the forward button to go faster and (at a large cost of glider endurance) push the back button to stop while gliding.

the Advanced Gliding Mastery is where if you just glide without pushing any buttons, you don't use up your glider bar. If you have the Lean Techniques, if you use them then you use the glider bar. Which is kind of cool.

Ranger Skills that I'll be using, and how I'll be referring to them: (I'm not going to bother with all the dmg details)

Longbow Skill 4: A point-blank shot that pushes enemies back (the closer to me, the farther). 'pushback' or 'skill four'

Longbow Skill 5: An AE rain of arrows that cripples. I cannot move while doing this skill, else it gets cut short. 'skill five'

Greatsword Skill 3: I shoot forwards (like a loong dodge) until I reach my target, unless it's too far away, and kind of stab them. While I'm doing this, an illusory eagle appears, and it seems to be picking me up by it's talons to fly me to wherever.

I'm not going to specify what I'm doing with my greatsword, since it really won't matter, I'll just say I switched weapons.

Two Hand-Axes Skill 5: Whirl the axes around my body, doing AE dmg. The effect ceases if I get knocked down or somthing. I cannot move while doing this. 'skill five b'

Unless stated otherwise, I'm using my bow.

When I say somthing 'like this' in single quotes, it means I'm thinking. Normal talking is still "like this".

Information on NPCs:

Trahearne: Trahearne is greatly injured and unconscious when you find him, but at least you got to him before the Mordrem did.

Zojja: She is injured and unconscious, and has been captured by Mordrem.

Eir Stegalkin: Eir is injured and weak, and the Mordrem are about to find her. Luckily, you find her in time, and she survives thanks to the work of the medics that survived the crash. She falls unconscious shortly after you find her.

Logan Thackeray: Logan is injured and weak, and is found and bound by the Mordrem before they flee the crash site. He is still conscious, but barely.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

As you run throughout the wreckage, you hope the Mordrem took no prisoners. 'They're too noble, all of them, to tell what they know, they'll be tortured to death!' you think. 'I hope they're alright.' "Eir! Trahearne! Logan! Zojja! Where are you?"

You hear a low groan ahead of you. "Eir? Is that you?" You walk forwards cautiously, hoping it isn't a trap. When you see Eir, you rush to her side. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, Commander. Have you got Trahearne? He's over there, unconscious. I'll be fine until you get back."

"You won't be. There's still Mordrem all over the place. They must have an organized rendezvous somwhere else that they'll group up at. I can't risk leaving you here. Can you walk?"

"Barely. I'll manage, though."

"Come on."

You push your way through the wreckage to where Trahearne lies. There are several Mordrem bending over his body.

"No," you growl. You apply skill 4, which blasts the Mordrem away. "Don't you dare." unsheathing your greatsword, you launch yourself forwards with skill 3, before twirling and stabbing and slashing every which way, killing the Mordrem.

'He's unconscious. I need to get him back the Pact camp, right away.'

"How can I carry him? He's rather tall for a sylvari, and you can barely walk yourself." you address Eir.

"the Pact camp is downhill from here, could you glide with him?"

You snort. "I'm lucky I can glide carrying anything other than my weapons and what's in my bags, and I can't glide at all with anything larger than a _tiny_ asura... I might be able to glide with Taimi. Barely." you consider a moment. "I'd probably drop a lot faster. And it's not that steep of a slope, I couldn't glide to the Pact camp anyway." After a moment, your face brightens. "Beorn, to me!" you call. A large brown bear appears out of the foliage and races to your side. "Can you carry a message to the Pact camp? - here - " you fish out a pad of unused paper from one of your many pockets. You scribble a short message to Braham - _'Please send help/a medic. Trahearne is unconscious and Eir is wounded, I can't carry him'_. "Take that." Beorn takes the paper and runs off. "And don't slobber all over it!" you call. "We can wait here while Beorn takes the message - wait - soldier! Come over here a minute!" you shout, as you see a passing Pact member pass. "I'm waiting for help to get Marshal Trahearne to the Pact camp, but I need to find Captain Thackeray and Zojja, too, and it can't wait. Can you defend against any Mordrem that might pass by here?"

"Sure I can, Commander. That's what I was trained for."

"Thank you." you say as you begin exploring further into the jungle.

"Wait - Commander! How are they going to find us?"

"The paper has the names of you and Trahearne on it, Kas or Jory can locate you with that." you call over your shoulder.

"No, Stegalkin, I won't turn to Mordremoth." you hear him say in an exasperated voice. "If I was going to do that, I'd have turned long ago. No, it won't impair my ability to defend you."

"Eir, be nice!" you shout over your shoulder.

"Hey, Commander! Come back!" the soldier shouts.

You turn and sprint back. "What is it?"

"Trahearne's mumbling. It's kind of coherent."

"No...no... South... and West...no... to Mordremoth... not..."

"The Mordrem must have left already! With Logan and Zojja, too. I need to find them! Thanks, soldier!"

"No problem, Commander!" the sylvari salutes.

"And Eir - be nice. If he was going to turn, he'd have done so when the dragon called, not now. He'd at least be standing around groaning."

You run off.

"Hmm... West and South, he said? I need a better look - there's a cliff that way. Rather odd formation for the jungle, but hey! Who cares, I have friends to rescue."

You dash off in a Southwesterly direction, until you spot a rather large tree with limbs spaced at intervals, like the spokes on a wheel. You scramble up into the highest reaches of the tree. Several of your passive skills enhance your vision, so you glance around the jungle. There is a path that passes by just east of you - it looks well-trodden, but at a closer look, the foliage appears to have just been pressed down for a long period of time. It's completely straight too - you've seen this before. It's an army-track.

An army would leave a track like this behind all the time, when fighting Zhaitan, you recall. You spot another army-track a little to the west, where the foliage is also standing up slightly. You conclude that Mordremoth doesn't really care much about leaving behind tracks and stuff, and the older track was the way in, and the one to the east was just created - all you have to do now is follow the swatch of pressed-down plant-life.

You leap from the tree and activate your glider. There seem to be a lot of tall trees, so you keep landing and climbing up the trunk so you can stay in the air.

After a few minutes, you spot the train of Mordrem leaving - it's ranks are infested with stragglers in the middle, whom you suppose are sylvari who turned are trying to turn back. The organization seems very haphazard, as if the person in charge is also a fighting sylvari, and the Mordrem are mindless followers. For example, there seem to be rather large breaks in the lines at places, and Logan and Zojja are being held in the back quarter of the army. It's not really an army, though - more like a squad. But since they are all spread out and stuff, the perimeter would have been four squads tightly packed together, and the formation left the prisoners at the back relatively undefended.

You lean forwards to speed up on the glider, and accidentally hit an updraft. It's not very large - rather small, in fact. As you use a large amount of endurance to stop and hover right over Logan and Zojja, you deactivate your glider and fall. As you fall, you fire a rain of arrows. You reactivate the glider right before you land, and then deactivate it. You switch to your two hand-axes, and grin fiercely, spinning and twirling and just generally dealing damage all around. It dulls your axes slightly - they're not meant to cut through plants - but it kills nearly all the Mordrem. The last few you take out with your bow. You then see that Logan and Zojja's guards have run off in the direction of the army, carrying them.

You shoot them down. At that moment, Beorn emerges from the foliage. "You delivered that? Great. Now we need to rescue Logan and Zojja."

You run forward. Logan and Zojja are bound, gagged and blindfolded. As you remove the bonds, you discover that Zojja is unconscious, while Logan seems awake-ish.

"Can you stand, Logan?"

"Not really - they tied the ropes really tight, cut off the blood supply. I'll need to rest a minute, but then I'll be fine. You need a minute anyway, they have Taimi!"

"Taimi! No way!"

"Yes! They have her at the front of line - if you hurry, you might be able to rescue her!"

"Thanks for the information, Logan. Beorn, guard them!" You scramble up another tree and take off, purposely hitting another updraft. You speed yourself on your way.

You see the rest of the army just in time - and it appears that the sylvari in charge is fighting mentally - he's stumbling around - and he is carrying Taimi.

'He must know he can't fight it off enough to do much, but he knows sombody'll try to rescue her - a lot easier when you don't have to fight the person carrying her.' you muse. Then, you notice that they are on the edge of the odd formations some of the Pact soldiers told you about earlier - a large, long, deep chasm, that seems to have been gouged there, as the land is kind of similar on both sides. The track that the army is following - apparently they go to the crash point of the Pact all the time - goes to the edge of the chasm, and then turns to follow it down to a large, sturdy bridge. The oddest part of the whole thing, however, was that the path was atop a very high hill - the land sloped steeply on both sides, but along the middle was about half a mile high from where the hill leveled out to the sides. The hill formed about a forty-five-degree angle ( placing the angle at the top of the hill ).

You land in a tree to study the odd formation. As you do, you notice that the leader carrying Taimi is near to the edge of the chasm. It sparks an idea - if you launched yourself from that edge, you could land on the lower part of the odd formations.

Thankful for the Mastery that grants you bow usage in the air { it is NOT a real mastery } (albeit a rather grim trade - you can shoot once in the air but cannot use your bow at all for hours), you take off. You take careful aim - you don't want to hit Taimi by mistake! - you activate skill number 4, which pushes the struggling sylvari over the edge of the chasm. He lets out a short-lived scream, as panic pushes the sylvari's own mind to the fore. As you glide down to where the sylvari activated his own glider and was just hanging there, still struggling. You salute the sylvari as you glide past him.

"Good work, soldier. Come with me!" you shout hastily over the wind.

You and the sylvari barely get to the edge of the chasm before you fall below it.

"Thank - " the soldier drops Taimi and falls to the ground screaming and clutching his head.

"No - I - Mordremoth - " he groans. In a moment of clarity, he snatches a knife from his belt and stabs himself in the head. He falls to the ground instantly.

"No!" you say - but you are too late. You gaze down at the dead sylvari mournfully. "I hope this is not what it takes for all sylvari," you say, shaking your head.

You hear a roar from above you on slope. 'They must have realized they're now missing their leader.'

You pick Taimi up, still bound, and race to where you left Logan and Zojja. You untie Taimi hastily.

"You okay?" you ask her.

"Yeah - surprisingly. I think I fainted at one point - I was just falling - But yeah."

"The Mordrem leader seemed to have more control than most - the army was all haphazard." you glance at the bow in your hand. "I pushed him over the edge of the chasm, - that's probably when you fainted, Taimi - which gave him a brief minute of clarity. He killed himself after we'd rescued Taimi, however - he knew he couldn't be trusted enough, and Mordremoth seemed to be tormenting him anyway. We need to get out of here, and fast. The Mordrem have lost their leader and are probably coming to kill whoever did it. Can you run, Logan?"

"No - I'm too weak for that - "

"And I'm too weak to carry you."

At that moment, Scruffy - Taimi's golem - shuffles out of the foliage.

"Taimi, can Scruffy carry Logan?"

"Sure he can! Logan's much lighter that the lab equipment Scruffy's used to. What about Zojja?"

"Zojja's small enough I can carry her, she's unconscious anyway. Come on! Beorn - guard our rear." You give further instructions to the faithful pet while Taimi scrambles inside Scruffy and picks up Logan. You pick up Zojja.

"Come on, Taimi!"

You run. You run as fast as you can. After a while, you get totally worn out.

"Okay, Taimi - I need rest. We won't be able to get much, but enough - I can't go any further."

You turn aside to a place where dense foliage and branches are woven together.

You whistle for Beorn, while you dig some dried meat out of your pack for him. "Here."

"Are Trahearne and Eir alright?" Taimi asks.

"Yes, they're fine - I found them before the Mordrem did."

At that moment, a large, hulking form is silhouetted in the fading sunlight, on the path.

"It must be an advance scout. Looks like a real Mordrem leader's taken over," you whisper.

You prepare to shoot the outline of the vinetooth, but then you remember that you can't use your bow for a while yet. "I'll have to do this in melee range," you groan to yourself. "Oh well."

You launch yourself out of the 'cave' using your greatsword skill 3, and proceed to defeat the vinetooth by whirling about it's feet - it can't see you very well in the fading moonlight. Beorn helps, of course. Once you've defeated the vinetooth, you return to the 'cave'.

"That means the Mordrem will be here soon. We can't waste any more time. Come on!"

You pick up Zojja again and leave the cave. "We need to get off the path - follow me!"

You twist and turn through the trees. It takes a lot longer on foot and carrying Zojja than it did traveling lightly on a glider. You stumble through the leaves, exhausted and half asleep from exhaustion, while Beorn fended off several straggling Mordrem. They did whittle down your health until you were crippled, however. You were mumbling.

"Don't have time to stop and heal... the Mordrem are on our tail... Can't stop... can't stop..."

Only your empathetic link with Beorn kept you going the right direction without bumping into a tree.

"We're almost there, Commander! It's just down that slope! Wow, even Scruffy's tired!"

Logan was still peering into the dense foliage on either side.

"We can't stop!" he said. "the Mordrem are close."

"I know - not this close. Gwahir, to me!" you call. Beorn disappears while a majestic eagle soars out of the trees. "Go - go, Gwahir - warn Braham that there's a horde of Mordrem on our tail. Prepare for battle! Get the wounded to safety!"

The eagle screeched and sped down the hill.

"Come on," you said. "We need to hurry."

You stumble into the camp three minutes later, panting and stumbling and exhausted, but awake.

"Mordrem - attacking... on our tail..." you say, panting. "I got Zojja and Logan - "

"Taimi's missing - "

"She's fine, but there's a horde of Mordrem on our tail - "

"We're on it, Commander."

Once you get to the tent that serves as a makeshift hospital, you plant a trap that slowly regenerates your health - and Logan and Zojja's. Zojja wakes up.

"What's going on?"

"You were captured by the Mordrem. You were unconscious when I caught up with you."

"Taimi - and Logan - "

"She's here, she's fine."

"Are Trahearne and Eir alright?"

"We got to them before the Mordrem did, thankfully."

"That's good..."

"You need rest, Zojja. Rest."

"I'm fine - I can fight - "

"No, Zojja! You need rest! You've just been unconscious, you can't fight! If you think you're ready, though, you could help to defend the wounded."

"Yes. I can do that."

"Thanks, Zojja. Come, Beorn!" you dash out of the tent, fully recuperated.

"She's just been running for an hour, totally exhausted..." Taimi says.

"She has a very good wellspring of healing right there, and she regenerates faster than we do."

"Fine, fine."

* * *

That's all. I just wanted a way for nobody to get captured, pretty much.

I woke up in the middle of the night, thought this up, and went back to sleep. It may even have been a dream. Who knows? That's why it's all crazy.


	4. Chapter 4: The Mastermind's Motives

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary: This is a one-shot detailing my take on Mordremoth's motives. _Why_ he did things - like leaving Eir where we could find her and making sure she died, etc. (Not why he decided to take over the world and enslave all the sylvari, my only explanation there is: He's an _Elder Dragon_. What do you expect.)

* * *

Chapter four: The Mastermind's Motives

* * *

So... I think this'll be from Mordremoth's perspective, and so please don't think I'm crazy if I sound cold and heartless where normally I'd begin ranting.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

The dragon stirrs in it's slumber, and lazily and negligently reaches its mind out over the vast reaches of it's domain, skipping lazily over many minds it could have influenced, looking for one that would be more... receptive of it's ideas. The Nightmare Court are an option, but no... they seek freedom, not domination.

Ah! Here it is. She's let her mind loose in the threads of time and space that make up the world's fabric. He latches on to her, and feels the wonder and crafty analyzing of the creature that will now bend to his will... if he is smart enough to outwit her will.

She identifies herself as a sylvari (sylvari? What kind of word is that for creations of an Elder Dragon?) secondborn (the second born from what?) named Ceara (what a _soft_ and _squishy_ name). She believes she is viewing the Eternal Alchemy, and as the dragon sees her view on what it is she's seeing (Eternal Alchemy) he snorts.

Still sleeping, of course, the dragon accidentally disengages from her mind, before startling back and grasping her once again. (Ceara is a soft name)

The... sylvari, the unamused dragon decides to call her, seems to agree with him.

"I will be Scarlet Briar," she decides. (Ooh, much better.)

The dragon sighs a dragony sigh and decides it's time to wake up (I don't want to wake up. I'm sleepy)... (I don't have enough energy.)

Unconsciously he projects his thoughts into the mind of the being he is unconsciously influencing, before drifting away on the currents of sleep once more.

* * *

Suddenly startling, he remembers the being he touched. A while ago. In between stirrings. He touches her again. She has decided she needs to wake him up. He quite agrees with her. It's time to wake. It's been millennia. (I'm too sleepy. Sleep brings energy, you know. Energy to try again and take over the world.)

Slumbering again... for a time...

* * *

The creature has encountered resistance. (That crazy _Commander!_ )

What was that? The dragon wonders. Oh. I sent my thoughts to her... Scarlet Briar... and she can send her thoughts to me. I couldn't do that before... last time I woke...

The minion has it's _own will!_ The dragon realizes, more awake than before to realize this. It's my creation. And it's not me. It's her. (Wait, I have to be crafty. I can't let her know she's mine.) That's right. Can't let her know she's mine. I'm not strong enough yet. (I need sleep.) No... I need energy. Magical energy. The patterns and conductiveness of matter... the dragon trails off thinking about other things. (I get distracted to easily. I need to wake.) Need to wake. Need energy. Magical energy can wake me up. (The flows of magical energy need disrupted.) Yes. That will make me wake. (Need energy from the flows.)

The dragon can feel the being's intent shift ever-so-slightly. (Yes. The ley-lines. There's one under Lion's Arch. And it will induce terror if I use that one. It's big.)

So not just thoughts then, he'd given her. (She shouldn't have known about that one there. Lion's Arch, hm?) Information, as well. (I can do the same.) I can, that's right. (Wonder what she knows.)

So the dragon delves into the sylvari's knowledge.

 _Destiny's Edge... the Pact... Commander... Destiny's Edge... Caithe... who's Snaff? Asuran companion... the Grove... Trahearne... Lion's Arch... Beigarth... Omadd... the Pact... Marshal... killed Zhaitan..._

Killed Zhaitan? (Wasn't he the one with the undead?) How could anybody kill the Death dragon? (Does this mean nobody dies anymore?) How did they?

 _The Orders... the Pact... Trahearne... Tiffany Soulstrider... assisted by Destiny's Edge..._

Who is this Destiny's Edge that keeps cropping up? The dragon wonders irritably. (Zhaitan dying seems to be linked to them.) That's right. What's Destiny's Edge.

 _Caithe... told stories... everyone knows about them... A friend died... blame is placed on people... animosity... anger... one of them died... split up for ages... the Pact... killed Zhaitan..._

Who or what is this entity that killed Zhaitan? (It could kill us.) No way. I am unkillable. (That's right. I cannot be killed.) But who killed Zhaitan?

 _The Pact... the Orders came together... Marshal Trahearne... Commander Tiffany... airships... killed Zhaitan..._

Orders? What Orders? (They didn't kill Zhaitan until they made this Pact) What do these ranks mean? (Marshal? Commander?)

 _Order of Whispers... Vigil... Priory... Pact... lead by Marshal... Commander struck down Zhaitan..._

This Commander person seems dangerous (oh, most definitely.)

 _United Destiny's Edge again... formed the Pact on initiative... the races came to alliance because of her... struck down Zhaitan... former member of the Vigil... warmaster... suggested Trahearne be Marshal... spearheaded the invasion of Orr..._

What's this Orr? (Wasn't it where Zhaitan made his domain?) Somehwere to the south and way west... (yes, Zhaitan took Orr.) This Commander seems dangerous. (Oh, yes. Very dangerous) What's her interest in this Pact and Destiny's Edge?

 _Thackeray is her friend... he is of Destiny's Edge... she disliked the division... like Caithe... tried to fix it... disliked division... brought the races together... formed the Pact..._

This Pact again! (and Destiny's Edge) What is it?

 _The Pact... led by Marshal Trahearne... never before heard of unity between the Orders and races... led properly by Marshal and Commander... trying to get the rest of the dragons..._

Oh. This is not good (not at _alll_...) the Commander seems to be the power of this unity.

 _The Commander is trying to stop me... routed my Molten Alliance..._

Oh. I want to wake up (need to) this Commander is halting my efforts! (She's dangerous.) Oh, very. (How can I wake up if I don't get energy?) Need energy!

 _Should let my creation on her, I should. See how she deals with Miss Marionette, hmm?_

The creature is getting more coherent. (the connection is intensifying.) Good. (I hate disjointed unconnected stray thoughts).

Should maybe wrest control? (She's been asking for help. She can't get it.) She knows? (Nightmares. Doesn't like them) That would be a good idea. Take control before she can realize.

Let's do that. Yes. Okay. Now proper information.

The memories of the sylvari flood into the dragon's half-awake consciousness. (No, no. Irrelevant) The dragon pushes the memories away frustratedly. (This Commander person. What about her.) The dragon is inundated with information. (This Commander is dangerous. Very. who is this Marshal?) The dragon basks in the influx of information. (Destiny's Edge. The Pact. These Orders. Zhaitan's death)

It is time to wake. (certainly) The ley-line underneath... (Lion's Arch) should do.

The dragon slips in and out of of a sleeping state as it directs Scarlet Briar to wake it. Even when she's not directly under the dragon's control she advances the campaign to wake him marvelously well.

* * *

Energy! (I need not sleep any more!) Oh look, the sylvari (sylvari... really...) is dead. Oh well. (I'm awake now!) Marvelous. (My trees should be safe.) One is missing! One of my tree-seeds is missing! (could it be the root of this Pale Tree the minion mentioned?) Perhaps. (Who got past my Mordrem!?)

Well, we might as well start cultivating my lovely jungle. Mordrem and more galore! (They used airships.) Right. What do I do about airships. (Punctures.) Vines, yes. Vines will crash them. Mordrem to take them. (Yes, that will work.)

Minions are _resisting!_ They shouldn't do that! (Subdue them. They are mine.) Subdue. Yes. They are mine, they are me.

Destiny's Edge (some of them) and the Marshal person (he's a minion too! Take him!) are on those ships! (crash them. Take the sylvari and the Marshal person.) Yes. Yes - No! He won't subdue! He won't _listen!_ (Make him) He won't listen! _I made him, he's mine!_

There's another one. (She has Glint's spawn with her!) Turn! Turn! _Turn!_ (She won't listen either!) Send the Mordrem after her. (Can't see her!) Can feel her, though. Find her. (The Marshal person won't listen!) There are others that won't listen! (Kill them! Kill all of them!)

Bring the resisting ones to me. Bring Destiny's Edge and this Marshal person to _me_. (Where's the dangerous Commander?) Not here. (Not good. She's not a minion. She's not...)

He's still resisting (this is not good). Distrust has been sown (maybe to emphasize it?)

Some of the resisters turned (good. But the Marshal still won't). It'll be demoralizing if he does, though. (Turn him.)

The Commander is here! (Oh dear.) She's looking for the Marshal (he's mine, he's a minion.) She's worried. (Trying to find him) Doesn't want him to turn. (Oh. This is good.) If he did she'd be soo demoralized.

She's with the charr! (the one from Destiny's Edge) She's with another minion! (He's resisting too!) They're chasing the minion with Glint's egg. (She's of Destiny's Edge too) They split up because one of them died. And the tiny female was mad at the large female. (Who are these tiny people?) What if the norn died? (they could split again.) They could split again. (Delay them) They kill the Mordrem with ease. (what about me?) I am safe. The Commander person is not a minion. She cannot take my mind.

Leave the norn and ensure she dies. (The Commander will see it, oh yes.) I'll put her with the other resister - the one that used to be friends with the resister with Glint's egg.

Exalted-killer (they call them vinetooth) will kill the norn. Lie in wait and ambush.

Sneaky manipulation of the one that used to be friends with the resister with Glint's egg. She will stall her. Sneaky manipulation like the first. Scarlet.

The norn woman is dead! They will break and split and I will live.

They are broken with grief. (this is good) They are continuing!

The Commander has Glint's spawn! It chose her! (Not good). The dragon snarls and unleashes assault after assault on the Exalted city that holds Glint's egg. Somehow in the confusion the Commander deals a devastating blow to it's vines, the dragon's vines with power-centers in them. (They say octovines)

They have been diverted to the tiny-people city. (Asura. They call them asura.) who are these asura? I didn't see them last time I woke. (this is bad)

The dragon shifts uneasily. The tiny-people (asura) city is new. It wasn't there before. At least the dangerous (very dangerous) Commander is there now, instead of trying to kill the dragon.

(The female norn's son wants the used-to-be-resister that helped kill the female norn dead.) The dragon snarls. It's ploy, it's tactic, didn't create mass accusations at all. No, instead of that, focused drive and desire for vengeance are driving the team ever faster. The dragon snarls again.

They won't attack their own. Copies, yes. The two - the two of Destiny's Edge and the Marshal-minion I have I will copy, clone. They will be them, and they must fight, they will destroy their companions, yes.

The Marshal-minion _is not turning_! Very few minions resist this far. The dragon roars in frustration. (If they didn't get demoralized when one of their own died, they will anyway if one of their own turns.)

Many of their own have turned, they do not care. This is their leader... their leader. Certainly.

What if not? Ooh, but what if he turned _willingly?_ Can't copy-clone and have him turn willingly. No copy-cloning, then.

No! They - no! They killed the copy-clones without a thought! (They knew the copy-clones weren't the real ones.) Yes. But they won't kill a one that is the real one.

The Marshal-minion _still won't turn_. Not willingly, and I can't take my mind off the Mordrem minions and Mordrem-Guard minions long enough to turn him. (And he'd probably reassert control. Even if I did.) Hmm.

The dragon roars in anger. Then, adopting a cunning plan, mixes the two. The Marshal-minion's consciousness with his, with his being dominant, and pushes the mix through the minion-link. The Marshal-minion's consciousness in it makes the Marshal-minion's guard drop, and the consciousness mix enters the heart of his mind. (I am so good at this.)

The Marshal-minion fights the dragon out once again. The dragon snarls, and tries to reassert control.

The used-to-be-resister that helped kill the norn is dead! The dragon swiftly whips the Marshal-minion out of the Commander's reach. (The other resister that is with the Commander-person is not happy.) (the norn-woman's son is happy the used-to-be-resister is dead)

The dragon decides on a plan of action, and temptingly leaves the path open, and roughly awakens the Marshal-minion. (Can't have him unconscious for this, no.)

Oh, the Commander-person and the norn-woman's-son and the other-resister are coming in! Guard, guard.

The norn-woman's son doesn't like that the norn-woman is dead. We'll see.

The other-resister doesn't want to come. We'll see.

They can't! They won't - I'll go fight them myself.

See what they think then. Ha. (What if I die? This is Commander-person.) (The consciousness-mix will keep me alive. Yes.)

The dragon confronts the three in it's mind. (See how they react to fighting their friends again.) They're killing them! Even the one already dead!

No!

The consciousness-mix saved me. Ahhaha. (The Marshal-minion _still_ isn't turning!)

Full force. The other minions can't be helped now.

The Marshal-minion wants the Commander-person to kill him. Ha!

They killed the copy-clones. (Those weren't real.) They won't kill the ones that are real. Full force turning the Marshal-minion. (oo!) I'm close, he's near turning! Ha!

No! The Commander-person is doing it! (but I can't die!) She took the sword (we _can't_ die) and -

 _ **no, I will not die, I have never died befo**_ -

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

How do you like it?

I know it seems like the dragon is two people, with it talking to itself in and out of parentheses, but... it's just ideas popping in it's head and things.

I tried to keep the dragon in-character. Arrogant to the end (he named his minions his nickname, honestly. Mordrem serve Mordrem-oth.)

And it's a nice base for how I'll predict the dragon's motives in other fanfictions.

I hope it's in-character.

Now, the dragon-applied 'nicknames' so you know who is who and what.

Obviously, the first being he touches is Ceara/Scarlet Briar.

The 'other-resister' that is friends with the 'dangerous Commander-person' is Canach.

The 'resister that has Glint's egg' is Caithe.

The 'Marshal-minion' is Trahearne (obviously)

The 'used-to-be-resister' and 'the one that used to be friends with [Caithe]' is Faolain.

The 'female norn' is Eir. (obviously)

The 'female norn's son' is Braham. (obviously)

The 'charr that is of Destiny's Edge' is Rytlock.

'Miss Marionette' as Scarlet put it is the Twisted Marionette that appears in Lornar's Pass in LS1.

The 'vines with power-centers in them' are octovines in the meta event in Tarir. (Auric Basin)

The 'Exalted-killers' are the Vinetooth (tooths or teeth)

I am eventually going to write a fanfiction that is what if Mordremoth did _not_ have the knowledge that minions had post-corruption, and what would he do if he _didn't_ know that Commander had killed Zhaitan, or if he _didn't_ know Destiny's Edge's past.

It's all garbled in this story, but... too bad. I'm terrible at writing from an Elder Dragon's perspective.

If you find a place where I diverted from canon, tell me and I'll fix it.


	5. Chapter 5: Dragon Age (Tyrian History)

MY ONE-SHOTS

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Summary: Mordremoth sees a vision, too, when the sylvari Commander Nierwenda places Glint's egg on the pedestal. It leads him to change his plans. Aand then my story grew and grew and grew and that is nowhere near an adequate summary, but it's the only one that gives no spoilers.

* * *

Chapter five: The Dragon Age (A History of Tyria)

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Okay so. My sylvari elementalist, Nierwenda, is me in this story. Not Tiffany - Nierwenda.

I don't know why or when I got this idea, but it's been sitting in my 'Fanfiction Ideas' NotePad file for a while.

Oh look. It evolved. Well.

Just one warning: _Do. Not._ Read this story in a rush. 'insert your name! Come here and do your chore!' 'Just a moment mom! Lemme finish this chapter!' Think: ' _Okay, finish really quick and then do my chore_ ' Don't do that. Because there are mentions of: Dragonborn. Eternal Dragonborn. Dragonbane. Dragonbound. All, like, _right_ next to each other, and they all have vastly different meanings, and you need to focus to see which one I'm talking about.

If you don't, you'll be horribly confused. You've been warned. Oh. And spoilers. Mostly surrounding Glint's egg in HoT, like it's name once it hatches, and the verry beginning, but the rest is purely made up. Don't read 'till you've finished HoT, and after Mordremoth's death in this story is complete fiction.

Just... be warned.

Oh, and I originally wanted to name this chapter 'The Warning' but then my story grew and grew and I couldn't keep it at that, could I? because 'the Warning' refers to the vision. Seriously.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"Three trials, three victories. That should satisfy the Forgotten." Nierwenda tells herself.

She leaves the last chamber and enters a vast room with an elaborate structure at the center, with steps running around the edge. At the top, she carefully places the egg on the pedestal.

Soft, white light spreads around her, and then a beam of white light stabs up from the egg, shining like a beacon over the jungle.

Then, magical energy seems to swirl around the egg, and everything becomes blurred. Then, Nierwenda sees white, and then a vision occurrs, informing her in a blurry, confused manner that Mordremoth is (or will) use Logan, Zojja, and Trahearne, and that soon the Commander may have to face an army of them.

* * *

Meanwhile, the Elder Dragon Mordremoth is taking a personal interest in the fate of Glint's egg, and trying to influence it - first through the firstborn Caithe, and then through the Commander, Nierwenda, whom the egg chose.

The dragon sees a separate vision, however - and not nearly as blurry or unfocused as what Nierwenda sees, as in the Commander's case, it is dragon to sylvari, but in Mordremoth's situation, it is dragon to dragon.

The dragon views it's own destruction, defeated from within it's own mind, the feelings of triumph emanating from the ones that will soon slay it, and becomes annoyed with the egg. The dragon has a plan for this already, and it will be implemented within a day or so, as soon as his not-yet-minion gets to the dragon's stronghold.

But the vision continues. The feelings of triumph and relief change faster than a turned sylvari, change to first surprise, then shock, denial and despair, realization intertwined with grief, before determination, to the exclusion of all else. And the vision cuts off sharply, with the real foretold death of the Elder Dragon.

Mordremoth snarls to himself. ' _These -_ sylvari _\- are so unpredictable. First they deny me with all their power, and succeed, and then, when I want it least, they turn around and kill me using my own methods, my own plans of attack! But I will not mix their consciousness with mine - it was what gave away my invulnerability, and made me truly vulnerable; no, I will shore up my defenses, and they will not come in, I will_ not _die.'_

The dragon excercises it's will - pressing against the more resilient ones it'd ignored on seeing their over-consuming determination. The Elder Dragon's mind grows strong, and the dragon is pleased. The dragon sharpens it's mind on all the sylvari, one after another, training itself. Sylvari grow mentally stronger. The dragon even excercises it's will on those already dominated - some of the less resilient ones would resist truly abhorring commands, and the dragon tries forcefully compelling them to do so - but that only assists the corrupted minion's will. (They do keep their mind when turned. They still fight back, but once turned, does almost nothing.) Even a few break free.

But, although the lesson was present within the vision, the dragon did not protect itself against itself - the link to the sylvari race was a two-way road, as was his link to the Pale Tree, and all of it's minions (though the rest do not possess a will of their own, as the Pale Tree and her descendents do).

That is where the Commander's team strikes. All the sylvari, rather than simply resisting, push back. Violently, controllingly, truly using the dragon's tactics against it. Especially those sylvari the dragon strengthened it's mind with - pressing against the resilient sylvari only increased their resiliency.

The dragon, in it's distraction, loses control for a moment, but a moment is long enough for the enslaved sylvari to break free, which only crumbles the dragon's mind farther. The dragon's mind is broken exponentially faster with each freed sylvari.

The Dream provides access for non-sylvari to enter the dragon's mind and whittle it down, as the Pale Tree protects the non-sylvari within the Dream.

The dragon dies a triumphant blow, all the more resounding and symbolic than the original death fate had planned for him, as the entire sylvari race and their Mother enacted vengeance, along with many non-sylvari proving their trust of the leafy race through their reliance on the Dream and the Pale Tree to keep from becoming dominated.

All in all, sylvari as a whole prove their resilience. Rather than the distrust sown throughout the dragon's campaign, the sylvari show their solidarity, and trust springs up once more, from the other races to the sylvari.

Post-corrupted, and then freed, sylvari retreat into themselves out of guilt. The Nightmare Court attempts to recruit them, knowing now that they are weak-willed, and can only fuel the Nightmare better through memories of actions far more despicable than the Court can dream up. However, said memories only strengthen the now-freed sylvari's resolve, and they strike back at the Court, whittling down their numbers along with the Wardens and Valiants of the Grove, until the Nightmare Court is but an annoyance. Most of that stems from the fact that some sylvari form the Dream Defense, a counter to the Nightmare Court, flooding the Dream with good deeds and positive memories.

Many sylvari that lived through the war of minds but never turned, that were distrusted and mocked, find it hard to reintegrate into their old lives - their friends and partners had distrusted them, been suspicious of every move they made, though it had been clear they were nowhere near turning. Most leave their former friends and find others, who, while they might have been distrusting of the sylvari race (and for good reason, both sides admit), at least did not distrust them, or betray the trust and bonds of friendship.

The Elder Dragon Mordremoth's assault on the minds of a whole race, where it was believed that the sylvari were their own race, confuses many.

Then, some Pact Priory members come to a startling conclusion - Zhaitan's death had influenced Mordremoth. Mordremoth had shown signs of post-death corruption, even if only in sylvari. They come to the realization that dragons will gain other dragon's powers when they died, a fact that the explosion of draconic energy across the ley-lines on Mordremoth's defeat confirms.

It becomes a concern that other dragons possess, to some degree, the controlling mental power that Mordremoth had had - and even a portion of the race-enslaving dragon's power is too much, in most everyone's opinion.

The Dream, for a time, becomes training grounds for the other races to practice their mental power, along with the soon-to-be newborn sylvari. The Pale Tree decides knowing the history of the sylvari, up to and including Mordremoth's creation of them, and even a couple well-chosen memories of the corrupted sylvari, would help the new sylvari. Even those that weren't corrupted, but distrusted; their memories are being used as well, to assist the new sylvari in knowing about the threat the Elder Dragons posed, as well as train them mentally.

Of course, the sylvari that had lived through Mordremoth's terror have a greater grasp on the arts of defending one's mind, much more than those who didn't have their minds attacked ever would.

Glint's egg hatches, and the hatchling dragon communicates to it's chosen, Nierwenda, that it's name is Aurene. Aurene grows and is trained into a guardian of Tyria, assisting greatly in the defeat of the other dragons. As time passes, she develops some of the prophetic tendencies that Glint had displayed before her death. After the rest of the Elder Dragons are defeated, Aurene becomes a staunch guardian of Tyria, protecting against other predatory beings, including other dragons, both Elder Dragons and others.

Aurene's chosen, Nierwenda, and her group of close friends trains a unit of the Pact specifically for rooting out weaknesses in the Elder Dragons, utilizing them, and killing said dragon.

As the years pass, the elite group known as Dragon's Watch begins training the next generation of all races, including quaggan, skritt, hylek and others, in addition to the five main civilizations.

Each member of this unit, known as the Dragonbane, knows the other members intimately, as well as the original group, Destiny's Edge, knew each other. This is vital for their group, as trust and dependence on the others had been a large part of Destiny's Edge success, and the lack of it brought about the separation.

The Dragonbane train, and in time become essentially the replacement of Dragon's Watch, as Dragon's Watch had been for Destiny's Edge, except that Dragon's Watch still exists. They become the elite unit that form, not only the iron steel front of the Pact, but also draw heavily upon the Priory's resources, and employ the Order of Whispers cunning and current knowledge in their spy network. They rely on the experience of Dragon's Watch.

Aurene produces eggs, eventually, and endows them with the magical ability to choose a companion that they deem worthy. Aurene's descendents protect Tyria from any hostile invaders. Aurene's family (and their chosen, on occasion) are known as the Dragonborn.

The lack of rampaging beasts means that populations spread. The quaggan and krait move back into deeper waters after the deep sea dragon, Maretimor, is defeated, although many stay in the shallow (at least to them) lakes and seas of Tyria, near their friends of the other races. Everyone is happy to see the krait go, as they can not be reasoned with and didn't change their ways.

As the population spreads, the races spread out of Tyria. The Dragonbane, which include the Dragonborn, spread to keep protected the citizens of Tyria, and it becomes difficult for the whole unit to trust each member of the Dragonbane, as there are so many of them.

After some discussion, drawing upon the knowledge, experience, and sound advice from the surviving members of Destiny's Edge and Dragon's Watch, the Dragonbane decides upon several things, first, to split duty; the original members of the Dragonbane plus the Dragonborn, to find and kill the last of the predatory creatures, dragon and otherwise.

The Order of the Dragon have become very knowledgeable about the Elder Dragon's weak spots, and have spotted numerous patterns, and assist that portion of the Dragonbane in their task.

The rest of the Dragonbane spread across Tyria in a mainly protective role, guarding and alerting for large threats.

When the Dragonbane, the Dragonborn, and the Order of the Dragon return, having ensured Tyria some peace - at least for a while - the leaders implement the other decision; disbanding most of the Dragonbane. Those that had stayed behind to protect Tyria would join the Lionguard, allowing for much better protection from the Lionguard, whos limited numbers had made it hard, before the six first Elder Dragon's defeat, to properly assist all of Tyria.

With the mass numbers, along with the denied applicants to the Dragonbane, the Lionguard assume an umbrella protection role for Tyria; the minor things all over Tyria, so that the Dragonbane can focus on the larger threats, like other dragons.

"We will keep Tyria safe from all threats, forever," is the motto of the Dragonbane. They live up to their role amazingly, and deep bonds of friendship are forged between all of it's members.

Aurene's descendents, the Dragonborn, multiply plentifully, and almost always choose members of the Dragonbane for companions. The bond has grown over time, as all the Dragonborn choose companions that just _click_ with them, and the bond that is there not just from the magic, but the friendship and devotion, makes for a bond that is strong and powerful, and being chosen by one of the Dragonborn is a great boon.

The Dragonborn and their chosen live long lives and are almost unmatched in swordplay and magical power, each being trained by the most senior of the Dragonborn that is capable of it; in the first years, it was Nierwenda, the first of the Dragonborn, and all the Dragonborn gradually excel their teachers, until they are almost unmatched.

The years pass, and Dragon's Watch grow old and pass away, and the Dragonbane and their Dragonborn companions mourn for each death afresh, and vow to keep the lessons passed on by their mentors safe, and pass them down, untouched by time and legend, preserved. Unlike most lessons, these hardly change, and their original form, as taught by Dragon's Watch, is nearly intact.

On occasion one of the Dragonborn will choose someone unsuitable, though such instances aren't very common, as the Dragonborn are very perceptive, even still within their eggs.

When a bad companion is chosen, that Dragonborn and his or her chosen generally fade into the background before disappearing, seemingly because the dragon is embarrassed at the result of their bonding, but they cannot unbond, and the two will still grow close.

Sometimes eggs will disappear, or a broken shell will be found, and the Dragonborn mourn for their lost kin. Every time one of the Dragonbane die, be it of age or being slain in battle, the Dragonborn and their chosen mourn.

Occasionally one of the Dragonbane will disappear, when on a mission, but the scouts report nothing but signs of a battle taken place. Tyria mourns the loss of one of it's champions, when this happens.

The Dragonbane have managed to remain as a small unit, even smaller than the Vigil, and yet do their job properly, and the bonds of friendship remain, and the Dragonbane are the most closely-knit military unit you could find anywhere.

The Dragonborn do not always choose one of the Dragonbane, in fact it gets more and more common, as the Dragonbane are a small group, and there are many of the Dragonborn. But still the Dragonborn and the Dragonbane are staunch allies.

The asura rediscover their lost cities, and a wealth of information is found regarding the ancient asura.

The asura, now that Primordus is gone, reopen their old passageways and city networks below the original Tyria, and expand them. All races are welcome, and the underground asuran structures are reworked to accomodate the taller races.

Years and years pass, the Dragonbane grow old and pass away, as do the Dragonborn, but there are always more to keep the elite unit protecting Tyria effective and protective.

Years pass, and Aurene and her chosen, Nierwenda, and Nierwenda's friends, are but a legend, a faint memory. Years pass, and the Elder Dragons being a threat is a laughable idea. Mothers tell their children, 'if you are bad, the Elder Dragons will come get you.' Years pass, and the thought of the norn, the humans, the charr, the asura and the sylvari being the 'five major races' brings many to hysterics; 'how could that be, how could Tyria exist without _all_ the races?'

Time goes on, decades and centuries, until only legend remains of the first of the Dragonborn and her chosen.

Overall, Mordremoth's defeat in this manner is more beneficial to Tyria than the path that history would have taken without Mordremoth's interest in Glint's egg, Aurene.

Years pass, and some start questioning why Tyria needs the Dragonbane, and the insignia of the Dragonborn becomes a curiosity.

As Dragonbane die and new members are added, the name of the organization changes many times over the centuries; but the Dragon part of the name never leaves, in dedication to the beginning; before the Dragonbane, they were Dragon's Watch. Before they were Dragon's Watch, they were Destiny's Edge. Before they were Destiny's Edge, they were the Edge of Steel and Dragonspawn's Destiny, which Eir Stegalkin and Snaff were a part of: the first deaths in the history of Tyria's defenders. In honor to those two, the legacy of Destiny's Edge will always contain the word 'dragon' in it. They went through many names; the Dragonhunters; the Dragon Riders, when the tradition of riding on their dragon companions became the norm; Bane of the Dragons; Dragon's End; Claw of the Dragon; the Dragon's Talonkeepers; Dragonstalkers; and many others, but several times the name 'Dragonbane' was used.

The Dragonbane and the Dragonborn were always kept very carefully distinct; the Dragonbane are the legacy of Destiny's Edge. Dragonbane are any and all races. The Dragonborn are Aurene's descendents, whether bonded with Dragonbane or not. Sometimes, if one is speaking of the Dragonbane, along with only the Dragonborn who are bonded to Dragonbane, some would say the 'the Dragonborn and their chosen,' or 'the Dragonborn and their dragon companions,' rather than referring to 'the Dragonborn and the Dragonbane' which would be all dragons and all Dragonbane, or the name 'Dragon Riders' which referrs to anyone bonded to a dragon, Dragonbane or not.

The only real threat to the legacy of Destiny's Edge came one century, when the name Dragonbane was in use:

One of the Dragonborn come flying into the base of the Dragonbane, in the center of Tyria, screaming about an evil dragon. 'It was one of the Dragonborn, I could feel it,' Lirodr tells them. 'They killed Cirda, my chosen.'

This instantly concerns the Dragonbane, and the Dragonborn are called, and a full meeting is held. They decide that this threat must be addressed, and the Dragonbane leave Tyria under the guidance of Lirodr, who brings them to the place the battle occured in.

The tracking unit of the Dragonbane, which consist mostly of skritt, due to their sharp eyes and delicate sense of smell, quickly pick up the old trail.

The trail leads the Dragonborn and their chosen to a network of caves not unlike the asura, but larger. Much larger.

The Dragonbane go inside cautiously. The cavern layout seems systematic, but easy to get lost in.

Then, dragons upon dragons swarm the elite unit, along with many that seem to be their chosen. They are not just dragons; every one is Dragonborn. There are many, many more than the Dragonbane can handle, even though these dragons and their chosen seem very untrained.

There are simply too many of them; the Dragonbane are overwhelmed and offered a choice; join them or die. The one who was brave enough to ask what their group was called and what they did, was answered simply: 'We will conquer Tyria, and bring back the Elder Dragons. You upset the balance, and you will pay. We are the Elder Dragonborn.' followed by the death of the one who had asked.

The rest of the Dragonbane look to their leader, Ienárm, for a suggestion. However, the Dragonbane and their companions are very intelligent, and their bonds have grown. On the other hand, these Elder Dragonborn seem to have a very decayed and stagnant bond; hence why Lirodr could only tell that the dragon that attacked him was Dragonborn, and nothing more.

Ienárm takes a deep breath and replies to the Elder Dragonborn, 'We will join you,' in almost a whisper. But he presses the idea he had had through his link to Iorivu, his Dragonborn companion, who communicates it to the Dragonborn, who pass it to their respective members of the Dragonbane. The few Dragonbane who do not have a Dragonborn companion simply follow the lead, as most of the other Dragonbane are nodding in agreement with Ienárm, and the Dragonbane trust each other fully. Only Lirodr disagrees, these Elder Dragonborn had slain Cirda, after all, but eventually quiets.

The Elder Dragonborn take the Dragonbane under their protection, showing them the labyrinth of the cave system that is their home. The Dragonbane communicate through the link that the Elder Dragonborn do not seem to have, nor can they detect, and lay out plans. The Dragon Bond grows ever more through this use, with the Dragonbane pressuring it to communicate secret plans properly, and even a very faint bond grows between the Dragonbane members, from the messages passed through the Dragonborn and around, which the Dragonbane are quick to use and grow.

The Dragonbane carefully conceal their proficiency with magic and physical weapon, determined not to show how good they really were to these Elder Dragonborn.

Eventually, the Dragonbane become trusted enough that past barriers erode, and the Elder Dragonborn forget who was Dragonbane. But the Dragonbane remember; they know easily, anyway, who is their true ally depending on who they have the bond with.

The Dragonbane learn that the Elder Dragonborn are the offspring of those bad bonds that were made centuries ago, and stolen eggs and 'slain' Dragonbane were forcefully bred to produce the community of Elder Dragonborn. This simply _infuriates_ the Dragonbane, but do their best to hide it, for their plan cannot succeed without seeming integration.

Whenever one of the Dragonbane or their dragon companions get close enough to Tyria on a mission, they desperately reach out for any of the Dragonborn who may have hatched since the Dragonbane's disappearance. As the Dragonborn and their chosen Dragonbane do not have the powerful bonds with the Dragonborn of Tyria, as only those connections that are used frequently have that level of strength, the Dragonborn must wait and contact a newly-hatched Dragonborn.

It is years before that happens, however, as the terror induced by the Dragonbane not returning is enough to induce most of the eggs to not hatch or choose, for fear of betrayal. No one is brave enough to venture forth and find the Dragonbane; indeed, there is no hope of finding the place where Cirda, Lirodr's chosen, was slain, as no one knows the location, and the battle happened long ago.

However, one day an egg does hatch, and none too soon, either, as the Elder Dragonborn are planning an attack on Tyria.

The information passed to the new hatchling, Caemno, is communicated to Caemno's chosen, Ardoc, who informs the Dragonborn still in Tyria. The Dragonborn are informed of the powerful link between the captured Dragonborn and their chosen, and attempt to replicate it, but without the stress and necessity imposed by being captured, it doesn't work.

But the Dragonborn and their chosen train with magic and physical weapons, and warn the Lionguard, who have evolved into stalwart defenders, that an attack of evil Dragonborn calling themselves Elder Dragonborn, is imminent.

The Tyrian Dragonborn go abroad, carefully stealthed, trying to connect to the captured Dragonbane for information. They stake out several areas where they receive information on a regular basis, and so are kept vaguely updated on the Elder Dragonborn's movements.

When the Elder Dragonborn attack, sown through their ranks are the Dragonbane, who, when the Lionguard and the Dragonborn have them surrounded 'weakly', the Dragonbane turn on the Elder Dragonborn, as the Lionguard and Dragonborn forces are replenished from hidden garrisons.

The strategy works wonderfully, and the Elder Dragonborn are quelled, but not before a serious blow is dealt to Tyria, and the landscape marred for a century or so after that. Many losses are sustained on the side of the Dragonbane, and new members are recruited.

The Dragonbane undergoes another naming change; and this time, they decide to deviate from an unspoken tradion; that the name they choose is about slaying dragons. The dragons are allies, now, and most of the evil ones are eradicated; so they choose the name 'the Everlasting Dragonbound', even though some of them weren't chosen by dragons, they said they didn't mind.

The Everlasting Dragonbound returned to their old fortress and resumed keeping Tyria safe; in their absence, several dangers had erupted on the other side of Tyria from where they had been taken by the Elder Dragonborn, which they quelled.

Stories are told about how the Dragonbound had become unnecessary, but then they had saved Tyria, and mothers impress upon their children the importance of not forgetting the aid of the Everlasting Dragounbound, and caution their youngsters about being bad for fear of the Elder Dragonborn.

The Dragonbound keep their vastly advanced bond in use, communicating with the other Dragonbound and even the other Dragonborn that aren't their bonded. The bonds of friendship that previously existed between the Dragonbound are now almost meaningless beside the vast network of magical bond, almost the same as the Dragon Bond, but from one who isn't a dragon to another that isn't a dragon, rather than a dragon being on at least one end. Before this, dragons had the bond with each other, as family, and a vague communication bond to their chosen, but now the whole of the Dragonbane and their dragon companions have a vast, complicated network of communication, that includes think-talking, emotion-sharing, and even memory-sharing on occasion.

The Everlasting Dragonbound live up to their name continuously, protecting Tyria and it's inhabitants for ages and ages, thousands and thousands of years, and Tyria stays at peace. In peacetime, when no threats endanger Tyria, the Dragonbound train the Lionguard to become better swordsmen, and peace is kept all over Tyria.

Wars happen very seldom, and the Dragonbound take pains to ensure they are not on either side, but rather attempt to be mediators. Occasionally some of the Dragon Riders will take sides, but never the Dragonbound. What wars there are do not last long, and all the races thrive. All the races have massive civilizations, nobody remembers a time when the skritt, quaggan, hylek, and others didn't have as large or larger cities and economy.

No one remembers the names of the founders of the Dragonbound, not since the brief uprising of the Elder Dragonborn when a lot of things were forgotten. The names had been found in the archives at the base of the Dragonbound, but no one linked it to their founders.

The sylvari remember the most, as the Pale Tree's archive of memories never gets depleted; and through the newborn sylvari names and events are remembered and recorded, and so odd waves of recollection of old events would sweep Tyria from time to time.

Time has passed, so much time. The thousandthborn sylvari are old, and the Pale Tree had increased the time between each generation of sylvari after Mordremoth's defeat, the time getting longer and longer.

One day in the oh-so-distant past, the Pale Tree had told the current leader of the Dragon Mediators (the current name of the legacy of Destiny's Edge) that she could no longer produce sylvari, and the next generation would be simply seeds; they would grow, if planted, and blossom into trees like herself, and in a hundred years they, too, would produce sylvari.

She poured her memories into the precious seeds, the Pale Tree's memories are revered as accurate history, and the memories she had could not be contained in one seed pod; indeed, the rate of birth for sylvari was directly tied into her memory, and she was just overwhelmed with age.

The new trees would start with perhaps a thousandth of her memory, all a different thousandth, so that memory would persevere.

She keeps some memory, the memory of her making the decision, and the more recent memories, to be on hand for advice, until the new trees began sprouting sylvari, but the seed generation would be her last. It would be up to the other trees to keep the sylvari race going.

Because she was pouring her memory into seeds to be passed on, the Pale Tree does not keep the memories she empties into the seeds. She will simply be a tree with the more recent memories, and a few memories that are precious to her.

She tells all this to the leader of the Dragon Mediators. The leader agrees that it must be done, if the Pale Tree can produce only one more generation.

The Pale Tree corrects her; two, she says. She will give forth one last generation upon her death, with two seeds; one to carry the irrelevant memories, the history, and one to be her direct heir, as it were, holding her most precious memories, including the first generation, Caladbolg's most important wielders (it was always given to the next leader of the Dragon Mediators, if said leader was a sylvari, otherwise, a sylvari the Tree chose), and a couple others. This tree would be her, essentially. The youngest, but the most sentimental, one could say.

The Pale Tree's passing occurred once in Tyria's history; and the sylvari are more plentiful than ever, with a thousand trees sprouting sylvari at a much faster rate than the original Tree had for the last hundred years. The sylvari count rivals the skritt, whose reproduction rate is over the roof since the ancient asura stopped slaying them by the thousands to 'keep their numbers down' back before Primordus came up.

Odd history mentions would come up now and then, due to the odd nature of the Trees' memories. Nobody had remembered the asura used to kill skritt by the thousands, before a sylvari had mentioned it one day. The original Pale Tree didn't remember that, it was a fact of history by the time she came along, but still a fact of history.

But the history of Tyria is kept alive by the Trees, and Tyria is at peace for many thousands of years.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Oh.

Well.

That was surprising. This chapter was intended to be just the part about Mordremoth changing his plans, and then how he died instead as a result, and look what happened!

Look what happened! My story turned into the history of millennia after Mordremoth's defeat! I didn't know I could write so well!

See, that's what happens when my _fingers_ write the story. I am two people; me and my fingers. I produce ideas and suggestions, and my fingers write them. My fingers are free to take my suggestions or not. _I_ don't have input into that.

But because my fingers are still me, I very rarely dislike the product.

That sounds crazy, I know, but still.

Also, I'm quite sure the tense gets knocked around some, but hey! It's hard to keep it in present tense when you're effectively writing _history_ , now is it?

So, anyway.

I even tried to end the legacy of Destiny's Edge, with the Elder Dragonborn. My fingers started writing that, and halfway through I thought 'hey, this could be a good ending point, the demise of the Dragonbane,' but my fingers said 'nope, we're going to give Tyria a Golden Age (or a Dragon Age), they deserve it after being terrorized by Elder Dragons for who knows how many years.

My fingers said _that_ , too. I write, and then I look at it and say, 'now wait a moment, I just said 'that's my reason,' but I only just thought up that reason just now!' which is all too common, I'm afraid.

I also have my fingers to thank for super-long author's notes, that my fingers command me not to delete (it's my fingers that click the delete button, I can't command tham to do that!)

I also have this unfortunate habit that every time I type 'command' my fingers type 'commander' without me realizing (and I _just did it again_ ) and I have to go back and erase it. Oh dear. So look carefully at context... and my fingers are rambling _againnnn_.

So bye, before I talk your ears off some more! (I'll go update the notes at the beginning of the chapter, ramble some there...)


	6. Chapter 6: The Veil's Plot

MY ONE-SHOTS

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Summary: A what-if that hit me when writing the next chapter of _Tyria's Real!?_

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Chapter six: The Veil's Plot

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I was writing chapter nineteen of _Tyria's Real!?_ and this jumped out at me. Hope you enjoy!

You won't understand this unless you've read at least the first ten or so chapters of that story, and you shouldn't read it unless you've read chapter nineteen.

I will be heavily referencing Harry Potter in the beginning, just please note I do not own the Harry Potter universe or anything... or the Guild Wars universe, for that matter. Why haven't I said that yet? Oh well. I said it now.

And anything Deborah says about anything post-HoT you can ignore. I made it up.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"Life." Tiffany says. "Why? Why us? Nobody else has been pulled in."

"Aaand the possibilities are endless," Fiona nods. "Once you say _that_ , anything could have happened.

"Did you say 'pulled in'?" Deborah asks, poking her head in the door.

Tiffany freezes. Fiona freezes. "Wh-what?" Tiffany manages.

"Pulled in, as in taken out of your previous life and dumped into something else?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Tiffany says quickly. Too quickly.

"As in, you knew of this world before you came here, and then you came some years in the past? I have caught snippets of your conversation, and then you go quiet and glance around, hoping nobody heard."

Tiffany and Fiona glance at each other, panicked.

"I've been looking for somebody else," Deborah tells them. "I've been looking and looking for somebody else."

"Deborah? What are you talking about?" Fiona manages.

"How long has it been for you? It's been a year or two for me. I've dropped some hints."

"How long since what?" Tiffany asks, determined to make Deborah say it before she mentions anything.

"Since the 'pulled in'." Deborah says, coming and closing the door.

"Pulled in from where?" Tiffany asks.

"You said something," Deborah says, changing the subject - or so it seems. "When the letter from the White Mantle came. A bird brought it in. A small one. Really small. I admit, I like naming things, mentally. I named it Pigwidgeon."

"You're mental," Tiffany says, quoting Ron. "Why would you name it that? I'll not refer to it as... Pigwidgeon. I'll call it Pig."

"Tiffany?" Fiona asks warily.

"Ever heard the theory about the Veil?" Deborah presses, desperate. "That it takes people to... to alternate universes?"

"Several times," Tiffany whispers. Then, her eyes widen. "The Veil. The Veil. Fiona, a veil is made of cloth. The map was made of cloth."

"You think - ?"

"The curtain that divided my bedroom was cloth," Deborah tells the two.

"Prove it," Tiffany says, whispering still. "Prove it happened to you, too."

Deborah blows a bit of hair out of her face and thinks. "Hmm. Guild Wars 2. Arenanet. Character selection. Race selection. I bet everyone who's done this is a human, because humans are familiar. You?"

Tiffany looks at Fiona with wide eyes. "Trahearne is the Marshal of the Pact. The Commander deals the finishing blow to both Zhaitan and... and Mordremoth."

"What she's avoiding saying is that she _also_ dealt the finishing blow to Trahearne," Fiona inserts.

" _She_ did?" Deborah asks.

"Although we've changed things," Tiffany says, "The Hero of Shaemoor still becomes the Advocate of the Crown, and later a member of one of the Orders, before becoming Commander."

"No, I know that, but what about Fiona?"

"She... she never played that far. But she knows. She knows nearly everything I know." Tiffany explains. "She's only... we just told you the Priory and Vigil level forty quest, but Fiona's not played the level 50 one. I've only finished Heart of Thorns, plus that Glint's egg hatches as Aurene, and from the titles of the Path of Fire and Living World, I assume that both Primordus and Jormag will be fought - and perhaps killed - in those episodes or expansions."

"I found somebody," Deborah says happily. "I've been alone. None of my friends and family played before I was pulled in. I never talked much about it, since they wouldn't care."

"Hey, she's more considerate than you are, Tiffany," Fiona says. "She talks and talks and talks and the whole family knows a ton about it, even though me and her are the only ones who play very much." she glances at Tiffany, then back at Deborah. "Even our friends and extended family know she had to kill Trahearne."

"Don't mention it - not here," Tiffany says. "Please. I don't - I don't want to mess up the story that way."

"You've already messed it up a bit, I imagine," Deborah says. "What've you done?"

"Destiny's Edge," Tiffany smirks. "I quoted Caithe, Eir, and Rytlock in front of Logan."

"You what?" Deborah asks, stunned. "You quoted _Rytlock_ in front of _Logan_ , at this point in the storyline?"

"Yep," Tiffany says proudly. "And he doesn't know I did it on purpose. I also scolded the Order representatives about quarreling and being mean to each other. And I did _not_ mention _once_ about the leader of the Renegades being Almorra's son. I never liked that about my character, that part always embarrassed me."

"But they weren't real, then," Deborah whispers. "Were they?"

"To me, they were," Tiffany says, sinking to a whisper as well.

"Same here."

"I don't... entirely believe that," Fiona adds. "I believe it now, of course. I just didn't then."

"I understand. Maybe the... the Veil... only brings in people who belive that, and brought you in as well."

"Maybe."

"What are you going to do about the dragons?" Petra asks.

"I'm going to tell Trahearne - once we meet him and form the Pact and everything, of coure - well, not tell, more ask - what sort of minions Zhaitan has. Once we have all that written down, I'll glance over the list and comment how he has no air minions. No flying minions, except his champions. Trahearne's smart, he'll get it."

"And Mordremoth?"

"Oh, I'm going to remark that there can't be a one-solution-fits-all quick-kill switch for the _Elder Dragons_ , don't you think?"

"Good. How long has it been since you came?"

"Level one, centaurs attack Shaemoor," Tiffany says. "Basic timing, you know, for the main character of a game. So, a month or two. A third of a season."

"Ooh, yeah," Deborah says. "I always liked our calendar better than the Mouvelian calendar."

"Yep."

"So you haven't had any contact with Earth for years?" Fiona asks.

"No, none. I bet you haven't, either."

"Actually..." Tiffany says. "Phillipe, Joslyn, Tangwen, Falcon, and Harrison are all our family and friends."

Deborah's eyes get wide. "Really?"

"Yep. Also Nate and Eden. We have another little sister and brother - Vinn and Laura - but they're too little to play."

"How?"

"They logged on and found us. We could see the PCs until 'level' ten," Tiffany makes quote marks in the air with her fingers on the word 'level'.

"Story-wise... hey, that was the day we finished Commander Serentine," Fiona says, realizing.

Tiffany groans and buries her head in her hands.

"What's the matter, Tiffany?" Deborah asks.

"I fricking hate how the word 'commander' keeps getting thrown in my face. I'm so used to 'Commander' being me that I have such a hard time keeping my face calm whenever it's mentioned. Dear me. With my luck, by the time I am actually a Commander I'll be used to ignoring it when the word is mentioned."

"Oh. Ouch. I'd finished everything that'd come out, and I hadn't been commander for ages when I was pulled in."

"That's one thing that's always been kinda weird for me," Fiona inserts. "Not being Commander."

"I read the wiki a little bit ahead," Tiffany explains. "In my words, they ask you if you want to be the Marshal - since Trahearne is dead and you're next in the chain of command - but it'll be a laid-back position, mostly doing stuff like paperwork since it'd terrible for morale to have another Marshal die, and you say 'nah, I'll stay on the field,' and they say 'okay, somebody else can be the Commander then.' And then you go and form Dragon's Watch."

"Pretty much," Deborah agrees.

"I also hated some things about Dragon's Watch. The wiki says you don't even _invite_ Caithe and Zojja, and that Logan declined."

"Caithe stole the egg and ran off with it," Deborah says, as if it were obvious. "You can't trust her after that."

"Really?" Tiffany asks. "I never played LS2, but I'd never deny Caithe a chance to join Destiny's Edge 2.0. And what about Zojja?"

"You do know you're saying the name wrong, right?" Deborah asks. "It's a softer ' _je_ ' sound. Zo/je/."

"I _know_ ," Tiffany says frustratedly. "But I suppose sometime I forgot, or somthing, and took to calling her Zoga, because that's how it looks like it's pronounced from the spelling. And then I heard them say Zo/je/ in the game, and I was like 'oh no!' Oh well, Zo/je/ is too weird, I'll continue saying Zoga."

"That's crazy."

"I know it is. Zoga just sounds more like Zojja than Zo/je/ does. And guess what? There is _one_ letter that, for the life of me, I can't write in cursive, and it's a capital Z. It looks more like a J. I can read it properly, but it's really weird. Anyway, why wasn't Zojja invited to join Dragon's Watch?"

"She's in the same condition as Logan," Deborah explains. "She can't, really."

"They never gave her a chance," Tiffany mutters. "She can make her own decision, same as Logan did."

"Why are we aruging about things that no longer matter?" Fiona asks. "We're here, and we can change it."

"Right," Tiffany says, her face lighting up. "And Eir won't die either - so there won't be any reason to make a Dragon's Watch. I never understood why we made a whole separate group when the only thing was that Eir died and we wanted more people."

"Oh, it was going to be Destiny's Edge, but then Logan declined and Caithe and Zojja weren't in, and only Rytlock of the original DE was in, so they changed the name. Even Braham wasn't in."

"Yeah, I never understood him," Tiffany says. "I mean, I probably agree with him, whatever the 'disagreement' about 'honoring the original DE' was, it was probably something like 'let's go kill Jormag first'."

"It was."

"So why the heck don't we agree with him? Isn't Jormag also awake at the time? Him and one other?"

"Because you put Jormag back to sleep again, really soon." Deborah says. "You didn't want to deal with two dragons at once."

"Why not put the other dragon back to sleep?"

"I don't know!" Deborah says, shrugging.

"It doesn't matter," Fiona sighs again.

"Right." Tiffany says. "Wait - a year or two? You were captured by bandits that whole time?"

"Yep," Deborah grimaces.

"Ouch." Fiona agrees.

"It's about time for them to log on," Tiffany says. "To Shaemoor."

Three puffs of blue.

* * *

"You know, I'm just so glad the waypointing system stayed," Tiffany remarks.

"Oh, yes," Fiona agrees fervently. "Oh, and Deborah, do you know if Tyrians have sandpaper?"

"Sandpaper?" Deborah echoes. "Sure. The bandits used it a lot."

"Darn it," Tiffany facepalms. "All that trouble to avoid mentioning it..."

"Now _that_ is a story I simply must hear," Deborah says, amused.

"Later. Look, there's Falcon." Tiffany points.

"Falcon!" Fiona shouts.

Then, Tangwen appears in a puff of blue. "Hey, Tiff, Fi, Deborah. Phillipe and Joslyn will be here in a minute. They're kept late in Ebonhawke."

"Good cover story, by the way, Tiffany," Deborah tells her.

"Tiffany?" Tangwen asks.

"Deborah's like us!" Fiona says. "She got pulled in, too."

"Really? When did that happen?"

"Years ago. We have been, apparently, dropping a couple hints."

"Nothing that would get noticed by somebody who hadn't been pulled in," Deborah assures them. "Just things like how you seemed to know all about that White Mantle stuff, you know?"

"Ah. Oh did you play a human back then?"

"Yep. Ironic, isn't it. I chose the 'lost sister' option, and then I _become_ the lost sister."

"Oh, wow," Fiona says.

"I know, right?"

"I wonder who else is out there that we haven't found."

"Probably more minor characters," Deborah says.

"Why were we chosen to be the player, then?" Fiona asks.

"Perhaps there is also 'players' for the other races, as well."

"They would have come to the Destiny's Edge meeting," Tiffany says.

"They had that already?"

"Yeah, the day we met Forgal and Sieran," Fiona nods. "Logan took Tiffany's quotes and made them something awesome.

"He only accused Rytlock of anything once, near the middle when Rytlock wasn't listening. And he brought up the 'Snaff wouldn't have wanted this' trump card. It even seemed to help Zojja."

"That's how it happened originally," Deborah says. "Now, I believe we're ignoring your friends and family."

"Okay, let me introduce them properly," Tiffany says. "This is Tangwen, our best friend and neighbor. That is Falcon, my little brother. Oh, and here are my parents, and Harrison, who's the next little brother, and Nate, who's the next little brother. Is Eden coming?"

"Tiffany," Joslyn says, glancing at Deborah.

"Hint!" Deborah says. "You always glance at me whenever you suddenly stop talking, before starting again."

"We'll cut down on that," Tiffany says. "Can't let others see that."

"She's seeing it," Joslyn says nervously.

"She got pulled in to, a couple years ago."

"Oh. Phillipe is helping Eden, she's having connection problems," Joslyn says, addressing the original question. "If you notice, Phillipe isn't moving. He's standing here like a rock."

"I see," Deborah says. "I wonder what anomalies you can get up to as players that we can't."

"We can walk through each other," Harrison says, running through Joslyn.

Tiffany, Fiona, and Deborah wince. "That looks _too_ creepy," Deborah says. "Seriously, that is weird."

"You haven't experienced weird around me yet?" Tiffany asks incredulously.

"She has, she just doesn't classify it as weird anymore. She's used to it, and moved up her bar for weird."

"Aw, man!" Tiffany grumbles. "Oh, do any of you mind looking up Deborah's family? They might have an ad out looking for her or something. You could tell them to log on if they want to see her."

"It's been years, don't bother," Deborah says. "My family now is Andrew, Petra, and you two."

"You sure?" Tiffany asks. "I sure would be devastated if we didn't have our family here."

"You left out Tangwen," Deborah points out.

"Pffft. She's pretty much family. She's like the only one who's not family to show up to the birthday parties, and I always include her in my definition of 'family'."

"That's nice." Deborah says.

"It's a fact," Tiffany says. "Not to mention I've known her since I was, like, one. Anyway, the point is, I'd be devastated if they weren't here. I'm already twitching to see Laura and Vinn, I haven't seen them in a month or two. It's not like even if they do log on I'll recognize them, you can't create a baby character."

"I could have them talk into the microphone," Phillipe suggests as Eden appears. "Er..." he says, glancing at Deborah.

"It's alright, she got pulled in, too." Tiffany says.

"Oh, neat."

"That would be wonderful, if we could hear them," Fiona beams.

"Okay, I'll get Laura, she's right here." Joslyn says. "Hey Laura, you want to make some baby noises? ... Fuun!"

"Oh wow, that is weird." Tiffany says. "Two voices coming out of one person. Especially when said person looks like Mom with Laura's voice coming out."

"Hii!" says Phillipe.

"Oh, that's so cool, they're both learning to talk," Fiona says delightedly.

 _Author's Notes:_

* * *

How do you like it? It won't happen in the original story - that would just be too much of a headache - but it wrote itself and I wanted to post it.

And I really do say 'Zojja' wrong. Rofl.

Review if you want something like this to actually happen.

Read and review!


	7. Chapter 7: The Aftermath

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary: My version of how the battle against Kralkatorrik went. What actually happened was heavily researched by me to ensure that I got everything right (because I haven't actually read the book).

* * *

Chapter seven: The Aftermath

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

I started the chapter off with one little tidbit I could find on the wiki directly from the book. I doubt the book actually follows on like this - my writing style is certainly different from King's, (for one thing, I write present tense and he doesn't) and I have not actually read _Edge of Destiny_ , but I was writing a story that has a section in this, and as I didn't know how it went originally (and how can I write a what-if if I don't know how it went originally?) so I wrote this to give myself a basis. And I posted it for you.

So. If you've read the book, feel free to give me criticisms, like how a certain thing happened.

A lot of my information comes from the _Discussion_ sections on wiki pages - the EoD page, the Kralkatorrik page, Destiny's Edge page, and the different members of Destiny's Edge's pages. Several people there have gone and given a summary of the battle, which I found quite useful. If I got something wrong, just tell me.

This chapter was originally going to be called _The Aftermath_ , because it would've focussed on the aftermath of the battle, but then I realized 'how do I _start_ it?' and started with the one quote from the book I had that was relevant. (Edit:) Actually, I'll keep it at that. Because it does focus on that - the battle part is very short.

So, I'm going to make this chapter present tense. I'm only mentioning it because the portion taken from EoD is in past tense, and that might make it a tad confusing.

 _ **Disclaimer:**_ (that I haven't done yet because... I don't know.) I do not own Guild Wars 2, or Arenanet. I do not own the book entitled _Edge of Destiny_ , or it's publisher(s), I did not write the book, and I am not making any money from either of these organizations.

 _ **Okay, here's the chapter now:**_

* * *

 _Excerpt from chapter: 'Battle of the Desert' (This can also be found in the references section of Kralkatorrik's page on the wiki.)_

 _Enraged, the dragon sought this delighted mind, this maddening contentment. The eye of the dragon shifted, fixing on the ruined sanctuary far below._

 _That was where it lurked._

 _But not for long._

 _The minions of Kralkatorrik would root out this intruder._

* * *

Branded swarm from all sides at the little group - Glint is dead, but Kralkatorrik is subdued, on the ground.

Snaff is holding his own against the dragon's - the _Elder Dragon's_ \- mind, but the Branded are coming for him.

"Rytlock, take the spear and end it!" Eir shouts, once she is sure the dragon is down.

Rytlock breaks off from the group of three, leaving them to face off against the horde of dragon minions coming their way.

They form a three-pointed circle around Snaff, weapons ready.

Rytlock charges at the dragon. He can't throw the spear too soon - he might miss, or it won't work right at such a distance - so he gets closer. The dragon won't come to him, no, so he goes out on his own. The Branded ignore him, and Rytlock prepares to launch the spear made from Kralkatorrik's own blood.

"No!"

Not a one of the group know which one of them failed - the Branded are on all sides, now, and one cannot spare much attention for the next dragon minion in line to die - but one of them does.

The crystallized monster tears apart the golem that Snaff is in, causing Snaff to lose his connection to the dragon's mind just in time to realize his own death as fact.

Caithe, Zojja, and Eir aren't in time to stop it.

Kralkatorrik, freed from Snaff's mental restraints, immediately takes wing, calling it's minions after it, just as the spear thrown by Rytlock flies through the air.

The spear rattles against Kralkatorrik's crystal scales and falls to the sand below.

Rytlock spins around, to find the rest of the group clustered around where Snaff and his golem should be.

The Branded have left them, following the dragon.

Rytlock approaches the group to find Big Snaff, Snaff's golem, nearly shredded on the ground, and Snaff lying dead among the wreckage.

Zojja is almost frozen in shock, Eir's eyes seem empty as she stares at the body of her companion, and Caithe's shoulders are slumped and she seems rather… withered.

Rytlock's eyes are riveted on Snaff, and comes to a halt by the others.

' _The Branded…_ ' Rytlock thinks in shock. ' _They must have got past..._ '

"Dwayna's mercy…"

Rytlock looks up sharply to see Logan staring at Snaff's body.

"This is your fault," Rytlock snarls.

Logan blinks in confusion. "I wasn't even here," he says, forhead furrowed.

"That's the point," Rytlock spat back. "You ran off to your precious Queen when we needed you most! Do you think for a moment - "

"The Queen was in danger," Logan replies heatedly. "I wouldn't _not_ go to her! Ebonhawke was under attack by the dragon's minions, and would have been overrun if not for her."

"And we were being attacked by the Elder Dragon itself, fool! Did you think that the dragon's death would have had no effect on the minions?"

"The only reason - "

"I don't care for your reasons. You deserted your friends when they needed you most. If you were a charr you could have been executed for that."

"Another reason on a long list why I'm glad I'm _not_ a charr," Logan answers coolly. "If I recall the plan correctly, it was your job to get the Dragonsblood Spear in the dragon. Did you succeed? No? Didn't think so."

"Because you weren't here to help protect Snaff, so Branded got and killed him before I was close enough to use the spear!"

"Go faster next time!"

"You're being unreasonable, both of you," Caithe interrupts. "Calm down and we'll talk this over rationally."

"You can't reason with a traitor," Rytlock snarls.

"I'm no traitor," Logan snaps. "And if I was, I'd be a traitor whichever way I chose - traitor to my queen and love, or my friends? How would your have chosen?"

"I'd have stayed, or are you to dim to tell already?"

"Well, that's obvious," Logan snarls. " _You're_ the dim one. Don't you charr have some sort of rule that says you are loyal to your legion before your warband? I'd say this is a warband, I'd your ask me. Who's your ruler, Imperator somebody or other? If he called you, wouldn't you go?"

"I'm sure I could make him see reason, especially if I had such a… _personal_ relationship as you seem to have with your queen. He's much more reasonable than she is, you know."

"And if he was dead?" Logan challenges.

"From what you're telling me, the queen settled the branded soon enough. What help were you?"

"I defended her from Branded while she created an illusion of Kralkatorrik itself," Logan replies coolly.

"And the Branded believed that?" Rytlock snorts. "Don't they have some sort of link to the dragon?"

"Whether they do or not, it worked. I see you're not calling me out for, what was it, abandoning you, now you've seen how powerful she is?"

"Oh, no," Rytlock snorts. "Better for her to die than the dragon live. Especially if she will keep calling you away at crucial moments in the future."

"How are you so certain you would have succeeded if I'd stayed?"

"The plan was unbeatable. The only way the Branded got past was because there were so many. We had a lot extra that we were counting on you to kill."

"Or somebody should have changed the plan," Zojja speaks up at last. "Changed it, or saved the battle for another day. You said we could do it even with Logan gone, Eir. It's your fault Snaff died. He trusted you, and you failed him. You failed all of us, Eir."

"I couldn't have known - "

"You're the leader, the 'tactical mind' of this group. You should have seen we couldn't face an Elder Dragon at any disadvantage."

"You know we've always discussed these things beforehand, Zojja. But nobody objected."

"There wasn't time for anybody to object, Eir!"

"Logan choose a very poor time to run away," Rytlock agrees, glancing at Logan.

"Calm down!" Caithe says again. "Words can't be unsaid, once spoken. And those spoken in anger are almost always the ones you wish you could take back, later."

"I'm perfectly calm and rational, Caithe. You stay out of this." Rytlock tells her.

"No, Caithe is right. If Eir had simply been more _rational_ and _calm_ \- "

"None of us were calm," Logan interrupts. "An Elder Dragon was attacking and the queen was in danger. _No one_ would be calm."

"And you need to be calm to be rational." Caithe agrees.

"Like Logan said," Rytlock says, ignoring Caithe, "none of us were calm - obviously, since Logan ran away and some poor decisions were made. If we'd been calm then Logan wouldn't have run away, we'd probably still have decided to continue the attack, and most likely won, too."

"I made my choice," Logan says firmly. "I wouldn't unmake it."

"What rationalization can you make for deserting your team?" Rytlock demands. "Are you telling me - "

"Yes!" Logan retorts. "The queen was in danger; I had to save her. I did return as soon as I could."

"Doesn't matter. We were fighting an Elder Dragon. Not a dragon champion, not Glint, an Elder Dragon."

"Where is Glint, anyway?" Logan asks. "I'd have thought she'd knocked some sense into you idiots by now."

"Dead," Caithe replies softly. "She sacrificed herself to get the powerstone key on Kralkatorrik."

"Oh."

"Yes. 'Oh.'" Rytlock snarks.

"That's too bad. Looks like I'll have to knock sense into you, then." Logan says, getting angry.

"Knock sense into me? What type of sense?" Rytlock snorts sarcastically. "The fool 'run away when people need you' sense, or - "

"I prefer to think of it as run _to_ people who need you, since otherwise it'd have been stay away when people need you. If I'd been at the queen's side first, and you'd called, what if I didn't come?"

"You would have been an utter fool."

"If I hadn't gone, that's what it would have been like from her perspective."

"Better to be a fool than a traitor!"

"You're contradicting yourself."

"I don't care for your opinions, traitor."

"I don't care for yours."

"It's still your fault."

"My fault that what? You failed to do _your_ job?"

"Your fault that Snaff died!"

"And now we get to the bottom of the issue. If what I've heard so far is any indication, it's your fault."

"Snaff wouldn't have wanted this!" Caithe says desperately. "He works have told us to work it out!"

" _Would have_ being the key phrase there. Thanks to this idiot, he's dead. Is that why you ran away?" Rytlock challenges at the same time as Zojja turns on Caithe.

"You have no idea what Snaff would have wanted. And you saw what happened - Eir obviously _doesn't_ talk things out, and that's why he's dead."

Logan snapped.

"We've always talked things out before, Zojja," Eir starts.

"So it's my fault Snaff is dead, is it?" Logan snarls viciously. He has his sword out. "It's my fault that Kralkatorrik escaped? It's my fault that Glint's voluntary sacrifice was in vain? It's my fault that - "

"Yes!" Rytlock roars. "And the world would be a much better place without you, human!"

"It would have been better if you'd never been born, Eir," Zojja says scornfully. Garm snarls viciously, but Eir holds him in check.

"Rytlock! Zojja!" Caithe protests weakly.

The other four ignore her.

"I'm sure all the dragons would be dead by now if it wasn't for you," Rytlock continues.

"You're right. No one needs me." Eir says, turning away. Garm glares at Zojja malevolently.

Zojja smirks spitefully at the two. "I'm glad to know you can see reason," she says tauntingly.

"I'm sure your wish will be fulfilled soon, then." Logan taunts Rytlock. " _If_ , of course, you're as good a swordsman as you say you are. Somehow, your recent failure make me doubt it. Perhaps you're too weak to face up against me."

"Please," Caithe's voice finally breaks through. "If you _can't_ keep from attacking each other, for just one moment, I don't see why I bother! You obviously can't listen, so go kill yourselves! Get in a fight to the death or whatever it is you're planning! You think that other being dead will help things, so try it! Do you really think one less of the few people who care about the dragons dying will _help_ our cause?"

"He wouldn't help us anyway, he's shown that," Rytlock snarls.

"You're no help, even you do try," Logan scorns.

"It's better than not trying at all. Go guard your human Queen, for all I care. Go die, I won't worry." Rytlock mocks, sheathing his sword. "Either way, you don't matter, and honestly not worth my time."

He smirks at Logan, turns, and leaves the scene of the battle. Logan glares after him, sword still in his hand, a feral snarl on his face.

"Now the idiot is gone," Zojja says after a bit, "perhaps we can go do something worthwhile?"

"Like what?" Logan scorns, turning on Zojja. "Driving away the 'tactical mind of the group', as even you put it? She may have made a mistake, but that doesn't excuse you."

Zojja blinks.

"if anything, future failed attempts would be on you. Her plans and strategies were brilliant. I don't care to work with someone who would ditch me like that if I made a mistake." Logan turns on his heel and leaves in the opposite direction from Rytlock, sheathing his blade.

"He's right, you know." Caithe tells her. "We'll never get anywhere accusing each other."

Zojja glares at Caithe. "You say that now. Wait until someone does something blameworthy to _you_."

She turns and looks sorrowfully at the wreckage of Snaff's golem, falling silent.

Caithe sighs and shadowsteps away.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

How do you like it?

To anybody who's read the book, how well did I stick to canon? Tell me if I made any mistakes.

I hope I did it justice. It was really hard to write a scene with Destiny's Edge arguing like that. To quote Eir: 'It's sad to see Logan and Rytlock argue.'

I may have made them out of character - but that was bound to happen, since they go through major character development in the game. Especially Zojja.

I didn't put in too much Zojja-Eir confrontation because they don't strike me as the type to get into shouting matches. I went off of the arguments they had in the game - Zojja accusing Eir of terrible things, Eir protesting a bit, before agreeing with Zojja and blaming herself.

I feel like the Logan-Rytlock confrontation was a little mild, and forced as it was, and a forced ending to it, as well, because if they actually had got in a physical fight with each other that would have made the being friends again that much harder and a bit more unbelievable for the CoF dungeon. Although, saving his life is a bonding thing, however much hostility lies between them. Which is why it was so believeable.

And now I'm rambling again!

I need to learn to stop that.

Read and Review, please!


	8. Chapter 8: Master Mordremoth

MY ONE-SHOTS

Summary: The fight inside Mordremoth's mind did not go... as planned. At all. In which the Nightmare Court are no longer evil, Canach tells a joke, the Dream is surprisingly useful, and everybody becomes a necromancer (for a while).

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Chapter eight: Master Mordremoth

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 _Author's Notes:_

 **Disclaimer:** I do _not_ own Guild Wars 2, nor do I have anything to do with ArenaNet. Any quotes (direct or otherwise) are not owned by me. I am not receiving any profit from this story. (It's a fanfiction, duh.)

The title says it all. I'm not even sure where I'll go from here. But hey! I write weird. My fingers go on and on and on... and so something'll pop up.

This is my sylvari character (obviously) Nierwenda. (As oppose to my main, Tiffany Solestrider, human ranger.) I'm going to be using her name (rather than 'the Commander') a lot, so remember it. (Or just remember that the name you don't know is me, lol.) She's a boosted elementalist who never did the personal story, so that's confusing. But I always pretend she did, when I write stories about her.

 _Italics are thoughts._ _ **Bold italics are Mordremoth's thoughts.**_

Also... check out my other GW2 stories! (I personally think they're awesome.)

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

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"I can't... make it. It's so close now. I... I can't concentrate, can't think..." Nierwenda cries, holding her head in her hands, with hereyes squeezed tightly shut and her face screwed up in concentration. ' _ **You want to. You do. Serve me. I created you. You want to follow my commands. Turn on your allies. Kill your enemies. Do it. I tell you to. I command you...**_ ' The dragon is not letting Nierwenda think her own thoughts. She cannot think to tell herself not to.

"You're stronger than this, Commander!" Canach shouts back at her from across the mindscape. "Focus your mind. Reject the dragon!"

' _Reject the dragon... reject the dragon..._ ' the words pound dully in Nierwenda's head. ' _ **I am your creator. Serve my will. I...**_ _reject the dragon... no... don't... don't listen... don't listen... no..._ _ **kill the enemies of Mordremoth. Do it. You cannot resist. I control**_ _ **everything**_ _ **!**_ _No... no... no... no... no... no... focus... reject the dragon..._ ' Nierwenda opens her mouth in a wordless scream.

"Here! I see another tear in the mindscape." Canach says, having moved to the other side of the mental battle. "Come. I can help you like you helped me."

' _Reject the dragon._ _ **Attack my enemies. My enemies are your enemies. My will is your command. Obey me.**_ ' the dragon's voice slows to a dull throb. ' _ **You will listen...**_ _I can reject him_ _ **you will obey me!**_ _... I don't need to listen to him_ _ **don't listen to him**_ _don't listen to him_ _ **I created you! Ignore**_ _... I can resist this. I've done this for a long time._ _ **You want to. Do it. Obey your master.**_ '

"Commander?" Canach shouts desperately. "I can't hold the rift much longer! Reject the dragon! Focus!"

' _ **Ignore him!**_ _Ignore the dragon! Ignore him!_ _ **Ignore him!**_ _Ignore him! The dragon -_ _ **ignore him! Attack him!**_ _Reject him! Ignore him!_ _ **I command you to attack him! Kill him! Do it! You want to! You are me!**_ _no_ _ **Do not deny me! I am your creator, your master, your all!**_ _can't_ _ **You need to! You cannot destroy me! I am your creator! I made you!**_ _..._ '

"Commander! Are you alright?" Braham shouts over Canach instructions.

"She is not alright," Canach growls. "The dragon... Commander, reject the dragon! It only wants to use you! You are your own self!"

"We can't hold the rift!" Braham cries.

 _'My own self... my own self..._ _ **I am Mordremoth! Obey me, your creator. I command you to attack them! Kill them! You cannot deny me! Resisting is futile! Ignore them!**_ _Ignore him..._ _ **I command you to attack them! Stop resisting! You are mine! You cannot win! I will dominate! I am your master, I am you, I am the one who began your existence!**_ _Pale Mother..._ _ **no! I created it just as I created you! I am you! You are nobody! You cannot think! I am your thoughts, your mind, your body, your will, your...**_ _my own self_ _ **no, you are not your own self. You are Mordrem. You are Mordrem. You are. You are not you, you are me. Attack them. Attack your enemies.**_ _Mordremoth enemy_ _ **No, the norn is your enemy! The sylvari is a traitor, one who denies Mordremoth! Attack**_ '

"Commander, deny the dragon! Cast it out!" Canach says again. "Focus! Reject him! The dragon is your enemy!"

"Fight it!" Braham shouts. "The rift is gone!"

"Attack the dragon!" Canach yells. "Kill the dragon!" he rushes forward with his blade drawn, Braham on his heels.

' _Dragon...enemy..._ _ **I created you and you will listen to me, there is no other option, you cannot deny my, rejecting me is useless, you will listen, attack them, they are the enemy, they would kill you given the chance**_ _wouldn't_ _ **they would. What would happen if you attacked them?**_ _Would help me._ _ **They're not doing much good now. Attack them! Denying me is useless. Rejecting me is impossible. I am your mind, your will, I am you. There is no Nierwenda. There is no Canach. There is no Caithe. There is no Trahearne. There is no such thing as a sylvari. There never was. I am you.**_ _Faolain!_ _ **Mordremoth. Obey me! I am your all! I am the one who made you! You cannot deny me! You cannot reject me! Resisting me is only pain! Listen to me and find peace!**_ _kill dragon for peace_ _ **no! Slay the enemy!**_ _Don't kill people_ _ **They are not people. You have killed before. Enemies you have killed.**_ _Yes..._ _ **kill the enemy now!**_ _My friends!_ _ **No! They are not people! They are beasts!**_ _Don't kill friends! Don't!_ _ **Enemies don't deserve to live!**_ _All things grow!_ _ **All things are subject to Mordremoth!**_ _People!_ _ **Enemies! They aren't people! They operate on half-remembered tales of long ago. You can operate on the here and now! Obey me! You cannot deny it!**_ _..._ _ **You cannot deny it! Obey me! Reject the idea of friends and people and listen to my commands! Attack them, kill them!**_ _... friends..._ _ **no, enemies. Automatons of the past. Fabrications of legend.**_ _Legends are good!_ _ **Legends are gone! Legends are past! There are no ties to the past! The past is gone! The past is past!**_ _Learn history...don't repeat..._ _ **This is no past! This is now! This is not repeating! You cannot deny it! Obey me!**_ _..._ _ **You cannot deny it! Rejecting me is impossible! Denying me is useless!**_ _I did it before_ _ **it only delays the inevitable. You will join me. You will attack the enemy.**_ _Enemy you!_ _ **Enemy them! What have they ever done to deserve your loyalty? Have they created you? Have they left you in peace for the last years? Have they -**_ _fought by my side... ... Assisted me when -_ _ **you need no assistance but Mordremoth! I am your creator! I empowered your creation! Is that equal assistance killing an annoyance? Slaying over an argument? They do not deserve your loyalty!**_ _Better dead than -_ _ **Nothing is worth being dead. Nothing is worth not existing.**_ _They won't exist..._ _ **exactly**_ _... ... if I kill them._ _ **They don't deserve to exist. They lost their chance long ago. They attack me.**_ _... ... good_ _ **No. I cannot die. Useless things are a waste of time. They might as well attack you before you attack them.**_ '

"No!" Canach snarls.

' _ **They attack their creator!**_ _... ...didn't create Braham_ _ **and I will kill him for it! I cannot communicate with him, and he will die!**_ _... ... communicate with Canach_ _ **He won't listen! You must listen to survive! I will kill them. If you don't listen I will kill you! Obeying is the ultimate achievement! It is not worth death to deny me!**_ _... ... ... ...it is!_ _ **Death means not existing. Ever again. You will be nothing. You will have nowhere to go. You will cease to**_ _ **be**_ _ **. What happens when you die? Your mind goes into my service anyway. You cannot deny it!**_ _... ... ..._ _ **Obey me!**_ _... ... ... ... if I'm you... ..._ _ **Yes!**_ _... and you kill me..._ _ **if you don't listen, I will!**_ _... ... then you kill yourself._ _ **I will cut myself off from you first, and you will die alone!**_ _... ... ... better alone than -_ _ **do you want to die?**_ _... ... ... nobody wants... to die -_ _ **Do**_ _ **you**_ _ **want to die?**_ _... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... no_ _ **Then listen to me! I created you! You cannot deny it! You do not want to die! You cannot deny it! If you die, your mind will go into my service! You cannot deny it! This is not the past! You cannot deny it! The enemy lives in the past! You cannot deny it! You cannot deny it!**_ _... ... ... ... ..._ _ **I created you! I command you to kill them! I command you to end them! They do not deserve life! I am your creator, your master, your all! I am your mind, your will, your being! Can you deny it?**_ _... ... ... ... how..._ _ **you can't. That's the point.**_ _have I lived... ... this far... ... if you are... ... all of me?_ _ **Because I empowered your creation!**_ _... ... ... ... how can..._ _ **because I did.**_ _... ... ... I deny you... ... if you created me?_ _ **Exactly! You cannot deny me!**_ _... ... ... ... ... doing it... ...now._ _ **Arguing with me. Arguing is futile.**_ _'don't argue! Arguing is bad - '_ _ **Exactly. Arguing is futile. Denying me is useless. Rejecting me is impossible. You are not making any sense.**_ _... ... ... ... interrupting -_ _ **how can I interrupt myself?**_ _... ... ... ... ... ... no sense -_ _ **You cannot have sense without me!**_ _..._ _ **I created you! How can you have sense if you don't exist? Do you want to die? Do you want to not exist? Attack them or you will die! You are in my mind, I have the power!**_ _... ... ... ... denying you_ _ **\- but it does nothing. Attack them or you will die!**_ _die!_ _ **you will die!**_ _... ... they die! ... no! ...Friends!_ _ **they will die, yes. Friends? No. No friends. Are you a human child? Do you need an explanation of everything? Are you a baby?**_ _no!... I... sylvari -_ _ **and I created sylvari. If you are not a human, or a norn, or a charr, or an asura, or a quaggan, or skritt... you are sylvari. Sylvari are Mordrem. Sylvari are Mordrem. There is no 'you'. There is no 'I'. Mordremoth exists only. Attacking them is good. Attacking them ends them. They are trying to kill me! I am all! I am you!**_ _... ... they wouldn't_ _ **\- they are! Attack them! Defend myself! They are attacking me! Retaliate! Defend! I need to defend myself! I am hurt, wounded! Defend myself! Retaliate, exact vengeance on them!**_ ' the dragon speaks in first person, confusing Nierwenda. ' _Attacking... dragon... notme..._ _ **Defend! They are attacking me! Retaliate against the enemy! The enemy is trying to kill me!**_.. ... ... ... ... _if I am you_ _ **yes!**_ _... ... ...because I am sylvari_ _ **Mordrem! Mordrem Guard!**_ _.. ... ... then isn't Canach..._ _ **... ...**_ _also you? And you are... ... ...telling me to attack..._ _ **Yes! Attack him!**_ _... ... you?_ _ **...**_ _Why should I attack myself?_ _ **You want me dead, do you not? Attack him if he is me, because you want me dead, and attack him if he is not me, because I want him dead.**_ _... ...but_ _ **no! No buts! I am you! I created you, you cannot deny it! You do not want to die. You cannot deny it! They are past! You cannot deny it! If you die, your mind will go into my service! You cannot deny it! I am you, I tell you to attack them, kill them, you want to, you do, I command you to, I am your will, your mind, your everything! I am your creator, your master, your reason for existence, your...**_ '

Nierwenda slowly rises to her feet.

"Commander?" Braham asks, relieved. "Are you alright?"

"No!" Canach snarls. "The dragon is _pleased!_ "

' _ **...you will do it, I made you -**_ _dragon pleased? No!_ ' Nierwenda hesitates. _'_ _ **Yes, I am pleased, that is good, you are obeying...**_ '

"Then she..." Braham says, going pale.

"She stopped," Canach notes. "When I said the dragon is pleased. She knows that's not good. Reinforce that with words!"

' _ **You know it is right. Attack them.**_ _... ... ... dragon pleased... not good... friends..._ _ **I am pleased, and that is the best thing for you! Do you want to die...**_ '

"Watch out!" Braham hollers to Canach, both in the midst of battling the dragon's physical (at least in mindscape) form.

' _Friends! He's attacking my friends!_ _ **They are attacking your master! Kill them! They are assaulting your creator! What have they ever done for you? They will not submit, that is their loss! Kill them!**_ ' Nierwenda lurches into hesitant motion again.

"We need to use every leverage we have," Canach shouts to Braham. "The dragon has a foothold in her mind!"

 _'There's a dragon in my head! In my mind! An Elder Dragon!_ _ **The Elder Dragon you serve. The Elder Dragon that it is futile to resist. I created you, am I not allowed in your mind?'**_

"This dragon killed Eir!" Braham howls at Nierwenda.

 _'No! Eir is dead and the dragon killed her!_ ' Nierwenda stops. _ **'She is not sylvari. She and others like her are even more steeped in the past than the rest of them!**_ _Eir is_ _dead_ _! By your hand!_ _ **You shouldn't care. Your only devotion is to me. I created you, and I command you. You have no cause to be protesting the death of one who tried to kill me.'**_ Nierwenda steps forward again.

"She hesitated longer that time!" Canach calls to Braham. "What else has the dragon done?"

Braham almost laughs. "What else has it done? It has taken Logan and Zojja and Trahearne and lead us as on a leash throughout his whole domain! It has sown distrust between us and Caithe! It is probably even now assaulting Tarir once again in a mad attempt to get through the Exalted to Glint's egg! Not to mention causing the crash of the Pact's airships in the first place!"

Nierwenda stops abruptly somewhere in the middle of Braham's tirade. ' _This dragon is not to be trusted!_ _ **Why are you doubting me? I took your three 'allies' for reasons. Mordrem are easy enough to battle for those that deny me. If, however, they are attacking well-known anti-dragon people, they will hesitate, giving me all the advantage. Trahearne is another who denies me.**_ _ **He must die.**_ _No!_ _ **He will not succumb to the dragon. You could try convincing them, you know. Perhaps you could even try convincing your other friends who aren't destined to be Mordrem.'**_

"Mordremoth created us," Nierwenda says slowly. "Doesn't he then have the right to control us, command us?"

Mordremoth's avatar stops attacking. Braham and Canach stare at Nierwenda in horror.

"No..." Braham breathes. "Commander, snap out of it! This is Mordremoth we're talking about!"

"He doesn't like you, Braham. You're not a sylvari. He wants you dead. He said I could try to convince you, though."

"Since when do you take orders from an Elder Dragon?" Canach demands.

"Since I learnt that no matter what I do, he has me. There is no way to escape him. If I do not listen, he will kill me. When I die, my mind will go into his service anyway. The only way that could happen is if I was doing it all unknowingly. I figured it's better to try to mitigate it some than be another mindless minion."

"We can kill the dragon," Braham counters. "See this being that represents him? Don't you think we can kill it? If this is how it visualises itself internally - "

"He's just playing with us!" Nierwenda explodes. "You think by killing this thing we kill it's mind? How do you think that works? We're _in_ his mind. How does killing his mind work, anyway? Convince him to join our side? Even Mordremoth hasn't ever killed a mind before - how are we to do that?"

"We can try," Canach tells her angrily. "You think that just because we think it's impossible we're going to give up? Weren't you the one who struck down Zhaitan when everyone thought it was impossible?"

"Yes, but he was a physical being! You can kill physical things. I completely agree with Rytlock on this one about metaphysical landscapes. How do you kill something mentally? He created us, and he will have control of our minds after death. There is no way to escape it! If it is impossible to kill it physically now, and killing it mentally makes no sense, logically - "

"Minds don't work on logic! If this is how Mordremoth imagines himself, then killing it will kill him! A mind is the beliefs you hold. If you believe that you are dead, then you will be, mentally."

"And who says this is Mordremoth's inner self? Why not another mannequin like what he set us at earlier, to make us _think_ we've killed him? It could be a stall so he can go back to sleep and come back when the sylvari as a race is less hardy."

"We can feel him in our minds even if he's not actively - "

"You couldn't feel him before he woke up," Nierwenda says. "If he sleeps now you'll never know, especially if it's in conjunction with his supposed death."

"Scarlet could," Braham counters. "Her mind was exposed to Mordremoth before he awoke, and she was listening to him then."

"Yeah, and he wasn't even awake yet," Nierwenda explains. "People were falling left and right to him before he ever was awake. Doesn't that say something to his power?"

"Her mind was exposed to the dragon, much less clearly than ours have been," Canach says. "If he did go back to sleep, we would still feel him, perhaps even be in the same link we have now, but more dangerous because we think he is dead."

"That's the point," Nierwenda says. "Making sylvari vulnerable in any way he can. If I can't convince you he'll attack and kill you! I can't hold him off much longer!"

" _You_ are convincing _him_?" Braham asks sarcastically.

"And don't you want us _alive_?" Canach queries.

"Of course, that's why I'm trying to convince you!" Nierwenda snarls. "I do not want you dead!"

Mordremoth's 'physical' representation launches an attack.

"That's a nice sentiment, Commander, but it comes from the wrong side of the battlefield," Canach says, shaking his head.

"No! You will listen to me!" Nierwenda cries. "Don't..." she runs forward.

' _ **End them. They will not listen. You have tried, and you can see they will not listen. End them.**_ _... At least Braham's mind won't be forced into your service after death._ '

Nierwenda stops and casts a fireball at Braham.

"Commander?" he shouts, dodging out of the way.

"Come here!" Canach shouts, erecting his shield. "Stay by me!"

Nierwenda laughs. "I'm smarter than that, Canach. I did use that shield for quite a bit, earlier. Against you, come to think of it. The you that should be."

"We can't stay passive against her," Canach tells Braham. "We'll need to attack."

Braham grimaces. "I know... but that doesn't mean I have to like it."

"I quite agree."

"Do you think one of us could hold her off while we attack the dragon?"

"We need as many people as possible... and we're already at a disadvantage with her... incapacitated."

"Right, right. Let's get this over with." Braham sighs. It goes unspoken that both should aim for temporarily disabling her, rather than the alternative.

Canach drops his shield, and the two go on the offensive.

Nierwenda laughs, throwing more fireballs at them.

"This is giving me flashbacks to Scarlet," Braham tells Canach as he tries to get closer to Nierwenda.

Canach nods with a tight expression. The dragon, now it had turned Nierwenda, is focusing on him now. Not succeeding, of course.

"My new magic wasn't enough. Mordremoth took us all," says a voice behind them.

Braham whirls around to see Rytlock standing there, weapons drawn. Nierwenda stumbles to a halt, staring into space for a brief second. ' _Rytlock? No! Don't attack him!_ _ **He joined us. He is on our side.**_ _But you couldn't communicate...?_ _ **I can communicate with your other 'sylvari' friends. They convinced him.**_ _At least they've seen sense.'_

"Rytlock?" Braham asks incredulously.

"It's a trick, like the others!" Canach yells, dodging another attack from Nierwenda. "Attack it!"

"And ignore the Commander?"

"For now, we'll have to. As long as she stays ranged - "

"I can do _anything_!" Nierwenda says, laughing. "Anything, with the dragon on my side."

Nierwenda and Mordremoth's avatar move seamlessly together, coordinating attacks mentally.

"I'll hold them off, you attack the Rytlock copy!" Braham tells Canach, moving into a defensive position between Canach and the dragon. Canach nods sharply.

A few minutes later, Braham espies another rift. "Can you hold your own while I activate the rift?"

"Make it quick!" Canach replies desperately. "The copy is wounded, but - "

"That's no copy," Nierwenda laughs. "Caithe or Trahearne or both have joined us, and convinced Rytlock to our side as well."

"It seems like the dragon deceives his own followers," Canach says scornfully. "How could Rytlock even get in the mindscape? He's no sylvari!"

"Hey! I'm not sylvari either!" Braham calls.

"Because we are using Trahearne's connection. I doubt Trahearne would let a turned Mordrem through."

"Unless he's the one who turned."

"Whatever else he is, he definitely has a strong mind," Canach counters. "I doubt he'd turn."

"The rift is open!" Braham shouts. The rift begins... pulling. Nierwenda pauses for a few minutes, busy within her mind, while the Rytlock copy is pulled into the rift.

"The copy didn't vanish, it joined us!" Canach calls. "We're taking control!"

"That's better. Mordremoth! Get ready to bleed!" the Rytlock copy roars. "What's wrong with you, Commander?"

"The dragon's taken her," Canach says through gritted teeth.

"In that case, I'll relieve her of her command," Rytlock snarls, heading towards her.

"Rytlock can handle her well enough - let's focus on Mordremoth," Braham tells Canach.

"Oh, Rytlock. Don't leave!" Nierwenda calls.

"It's Scarlet all over again," Braham says, shaking his head.

"Join the team, Canach," Marjory says, appearing by Nierwenda's side. "We're all part of the dragon now."

"Good to see you, Jory," Nierwenda says with an evil grin.

"I cannot be defeated," Mordremoth's avatar says, in what could be called a hint of glee.

Rytlock switches his target to Marjory, while Canach goes after another rift. The three - Nierwenda, Marjory, and Mordremoth's avatar - move together in a deadly grace. Braham joins Rytlock, flanking Nierwenda and taking her interest, letting Rytlock deal with Marjory.

"It's open!" Canach shouts.

"Do it!" Braham hollers back.

The Commander stumbles again, holding her head. ' _Why are they leaving again? Weren't they convinced?_ _ **The enemy is disrupting my control! Defend that 'rift'!**_ _Understood.'_

"Thanks..." Marjory says, trailing off puzzledly. "Oh. Time to end this." she switches her focus to Nierwenda and begins attacking. Nierwenda fends her and Rytlock off with just a bit of hardship, taking a step back.

"It's going for a massive strike! Get under cover!" Canach hollers, his shield springing up.

"Or take to the sky," Nierwenda laughs with a manic gleam in her eye. She launches into the air on her glider, soaring across the mindscape before spiraling down and landing right by the rift.

Braham, Rytlock, and Marjory are protected within Canach's shield. Nierwenda starts going about protecting the rift, rooting to the ground and sprouting leafy turrets, (racial sylvari elite skill) all unaffected by Mordremoth's attack.

As soon as it is safe, Marjory and Braham go after Nierwenda, but are seriously impeded by her turrets.

Marjory dodges a missile from one of the turrets, placing her in the middle of Nierwenda's air-generated electric field, putting her in shock for several seconds, during which her turrets and fireballs finish her off. Braham yelps in surprise.

"Never should have left me behind," Caithe says darkly, attacking Canach. "You know I can't be trusted."

"Seems like I can trust you to be sensible, though," Nierwenda cackles.

"Oh, certainly," Caithe says, moving with a deadly grace around the Rytlock copy in the dance of battle, leading him slowly in the direction of the rift.

"They're taking out allies!" Braham yells to Canach. "She took down the Marjory copy!"

"And all she did was incapacitate me long enough to explain the importance of Mordremoth's survival," Marjory says gleefully from behind him. Braham barely dodges her lethal attack.

"And the sooner Mordremoth's taken control, the sooner we can leave this mindscape!" Rytlock hollers, turning on Canach with Caithe.

"We're losing here!" Braham hollers to Canach. "I can't get close to the rift, and the copies are defending it!"

"Defeat the copies!" Canach yells back. "And stay away from the turrets - if she uproots to come after us they'll disappear and we can get to the rift!"

Braham scrambles out of the turrets' range, fiercely battling with the Marjory copy. And then Caithe appears behind him, giving him a poisonous cut on the back. Braham hollers in surprise, alerting Canach, who is battleing the Rytlock copy, to his predicament.

The Caithe copy stealths before Braham can counterattack, the effort of which allows Marjory to injure him and draw on his lifeforce.

"Get over here!" Canach hollers, erecting his shield. Braham races inside of the protective bubble. The copies of Caithe, Rytlock, and Marjory form a triangle outside the bubble, waiting for it to go down. Conferring in whispers, the two construct a plan.

When Canach releases the shield, Braham launches himself sideways at Marjory, who thought he would attack Rytlock, surprising her. Canach does battle with Caithe directly, expertly swinging his blade in such a way as to make stealth not as good an option as normally. They both ignore Rytlock for the time being, simply dodging his attacks.

"The Marjory copy is down!" Braham reports, turning to deal with Rytlock. Caithe stealths away for a minute, so Canach joins Braham against Rytlock.

"Watch out!" Canach shouts, and Braham narrowly escapes one of Nierwenda's fire attacks.

"She's uprooted! Get the rift!" Braham hollers.

Both of them abandon the fight with the Rytlock copy and dash towards the rift, Braham lagging behind because of his drained lifeforce and the poison the Caithe-copy had inflicted on him.

The Marjory copy springs back into existence, and Braham runs toward the rift. He aids Canach in getting it open, causing Nierwenda to stumble and the copies to join them.

Braham espies Mordremoth's avatar pausing, and shouts at Canach to pull up the shield. Braham barely makes it within the bubble of protection before the mindscape is wracked with the dragon's powerful attack. The five allies (including Marjory, Rytlock, and Caithe) carefully plan their attack strategy. 'Don't die' is stressed for all of them; for the other three because if they do, they turn again, and for Braham and Canach because they aren't copies.

Nierwenda glides down near the rift again, which Canach notices is within his shield-bubble.

"Can you hold it?" Braham asks.

"As long as I'm not distracted," Canach replies. "However, that is no longer guaranteed, given... circumstances."

Braham nods in understanding. "Okay, new strategy. You three attack Nierwenda - quickly now, before she gets her turret things set-up, and I'll activate the rift when it's necessary. If you have a ranged attack, stay within the bubble.

The copies of Caithe, Rytlock, and Marjory nod, before attacking Nierwenda.

"We've got trouble," Caithe reports. "Mordremoth's avatar is heading this way."

"Alright, defeat those turrets and then focus fire on Mordremoth," Braham directs. "I'm going to uproot his control again."

"This won't end well - for you," calls a new copy.

"Trahearne?" Canach asks skeptically. "Yeah, these are definitely illusions."

"You doubted that?" Braham asks as he wrestles with the rift.

"Kind of hard to _not_ doubt anything, what with being unable to trust my own thoughts and all," Canach snarls back.

Braham nods, and finally gets the rift activated.

"Commander, no!" the Trahearne copy shouts in dismay.

"The dragon's taken her, Marshal," Braham informs him.

"Trahearne, what's gotten into you?" Nierwenda asks. "The dragon created us. Mordremoth is our master. I thought you'd seen sense."

"Scarlet to the core," Braham mutters to Canach.

"No, it's Mordremoth." Canach replies. Braham nods.

"I thought the same of you," the Trahearne-copy replies gravely. "It appears I was wrong."

Nierwenda shrieks in dismay, and a whirlwind appears around her, lightning lashing out in random directions. She charges at the Trahearne-copy, and the turrets vanish. The other copies converge on her, but several of them hit hidden shock-fields, and Nierwenda calls down a firestorm, turning several of them back. Following that, she turns the rest of them with ease. Then, she turns towards Canach and Braham.

"I can't... can't hold it!" Canach shouts desperately. "The dragon - "

"Let's get her," Braham says determinedly. "Can you fight?"

"A bit."

"We'll take what we've got."

"No, you won't," the Caithe-copy laughs, appearing behind them now the shield is down. She spins around the pair with her poisonous blades, slashing all around.

The Marjory copy approaches Braham from behind and begins draining his lifeforce even more. Braham stumbles over to Canach and picks up the shield, activating it. The shield flings the copies of Caithe and Marjory away from them, but Marjory keeps pulling his lifeforce gleefully. The shield begins flickering as Braham loses focus.

The Trahearne-copy approaches and begins using ranged attacks. The copies of Caithe and Rytlock are waiting for the shield to go down completely.

Canach takes the shield back, and the protective bubble stops flickering, or at least not quite as much. Then it shrinks and stabilizes. In the center, they are out of melee range, but all other attacks are getting to them. Braham falls unconscious from lifeforce loss. Marjory keeps drawing it.

The shield shudders and flickers violently, all of a sudden. Canach looks up to see the avatar of Mordremoth hammering on it. It flickers and flashes with each blow. And the dragon is still pounding in his head. Canach stumbles over to the rift and activates it, the protective bubble moving along with him to keep him in the center. Braham is now at the edge, in range of Trahearne's blade, and he begins drawing Braham's lifeforce as well.

The rift flashes as Canach activates it, and the steep decline of Braham's lifeforce cuts off abruptly as Marjory and Trahearne's copies realign themselves, along with Caithe and Rytlock.

The two necromancers instantly reverse the lifeforce flow, feeding Braham with his own lifeforce. Caithe and Rytlock's copies turn on the dragon's avatar and Nierwenda, who'd shuddered to a momentary stop when the rift activated.

Braham is revived a lot quicker than he went down, as a result of being fed with lifeforce from two sources.

Both necromancers realize that they are flip-flopping allegiances depending on the efforts of their allies/enemies, and pour all of their own lifeforce into feeding Braham as well as Canach. When the Caithe and Rytlock copies realize what's going on, they arrange for the necromancers to draw on all the copies' lifeforce and feed the two who aren't copies.

Canach and Braham hold off Nierwenda and Mordremoth as they are fed with lifeforce, keeping the copies from turning. Almost fully rejuvenated from the lifeforce of four other people, they are at the peak of endurance and fully capable of evening the odds against the dragon and Nierwenda.

The copies begin flickering and fading slowly as they run out of lifeforce.

Nierwenda roots to the ground and sprouts turrets, taking out the copies. This also makes their lifeforce nonexistent, even what they'd already poured into Braham and Canach, which results in Braham and Canach losing their reserves of energy. And the copies are now on Mordremoth's side again. Braham isn't unconscious again, because he still has his own lifeforce.

Braham activates the shield and runs back to the rift, Canach on his heels, still trying to shut out the dragon. Mordremoth roars terribly and launches the fiercest mental attack yet, incapacitating Canach while he fights it off. The two are still a good distance from the rift, and Braham can't leave Canach outside of the shield.

Mordremoth's avatar and Nierwenda (along with the copies) start attacking the shield, which turns his concentration upside down, resulting in furious flickering the first few times, until he can anticipate each blow. It takes a lot of energy to maintain, and Marjory and Trahearne also started drawing his lifeforce again, and purposely feeding it to Nierwenda and Mordremoth's avatar in case they get turned again.

"A tactic used for our benefit once now works against us," Braham mutters to himself ruefully, wondering what to do. Holding the shield is the only thing he can do - he has no ranged attacks, especially holding the activated shield.

"I have the power, here," Nierwenda taunts. "It's too bad you don't have any, or you could actually mount a decent offensive."

"Oh, now she's using first-person. She's totally aligned with the dragon now," Braham grimaces. Before then, it had always been 'we'. But having power... "we have power too!" Braham hollers. "We just haven't used it yet! Canach, how do you think they're doing these copies?"

"Imagination... I'd guess..." Canach snarls. "don't... talk to... me..."

Braham nods, and tries to imagine somebody, anybody... and he can't focus enough to do anybody but who's in front of him. ' _this'll baffle the dragon..._ _ **'**_ he thinks triumphantly.

Next to him, a flickering copy of Mordremoth's avatar appears. ' _Imagination, huh? Can I give it necromantic powers?_ '

The Mordremoth copy moves jerkily out of the shield and starts pounding on Nierwenda, but it's strikes just go through her. Braham tries to imagine the effect if they didn't go through, but when he did the copy vanished. ' _I don't have the mental capacity for this, and Canach's too busy defending his own mind to do anything._ '

"No power, no decent offensive," Nierwenda reiterates with a smirk.

Braham loses consciousness from lifeforce loss again, and the shield disappears. Canach absently reaches out a hand to activate it again, but the pounding of Mordremoth's avatar disrupts the necessary concentration to defend his mind, and he can't spare any attention to negating it. And now the necromancers are drawing on his lifeforce.

He takes his hand off the shield, leaving him physically vulnerable.

But mentally, he strikes back at the dragon in one last desperate stand. The only reason he manages this is because at the same time, sylvari all over Tyria feel the desperation he feels, bleeding through the Dream and into all the sylvari, and they react with a strike back. Trahearne feels it, maintaining the connection into Mordremoth's mind. Caithe feels it, keeping out the onslaught of Mordrem. The Pale Tree feels it, still in an unconscious state far to the east. Sylvari all over feel it, and react. Turned sylvari feel it and lash out at the dragon, him all the more vulnerable for having them in his mind already. The sylvari race reacts as a whole, collapsing all over Tyria with their mental attack on the dragon.

This reaction to the desperation of one of their own heightens the awareness of sylvari to empathy felt with their fellow sylvari through the Dream, and sylvari become one with the Dream, lashing out at Mordremoth.

In the mindscape, representations of sylvari from all over Tyria appear. But they are just representations - for all the power of the Dream and the dragon's connection, they are just visual reminders of the hardiness of the sylvari race. The true representation of Caithe appears in the midst of these, the real Caithe, which is much more solid than the others, and the dragon-generated copy winks out. A representation of Trahearne does not appear however - outside, he knows he needs to keep the connection that Braham and Canach have with reality working, or else they will fail.

Nierwenda collapses on her knees with a shriek shrill enough to rend the sky, clawing at her head and curling in on herself, trying to fight off the dragon's mind inducing her willing compliance with him so much. " _No!_ " she shrieks aloud and in her mind.

The visual representation of the sylvari race flickers and comes back more, in response to Nierwenda's distress and agony.

The avatar of Mordremoth pauses, fighting for dominance mentally. All over the Heart of Maguuma, Mordrem Guard fighting Pact troops stiffen, launching their own attack to claw free of the dragon. They drop their weapons, stunning the Pact troops locked in battle with them. The more suspicious of them keep their guard up, but the rest of them realize what is happening, especially when some sylvari who didn't turn report what is going on, and begin encouraging the sylvari.

Mordremoth's attack on Canach's mind lowers in intensity as it tries to keep it's minions from breaking free. Canach reengages the shield, expanding it in size and pushing the Marjory and Trahearne copies far enough away to break the lifeforce draw on Braham. The representation of Caithe vanishes before she can see the lifeforce stop, however.

* * *

Outside the mindscape, Trahearne maintains the connection Braham and Canach have. Nierwenda's connection vanished the moment the dragon took her - the dragon maintains her connection now.

Caithe leaps to her feet. "Withdraw Braham!" she says wildly. "he's dying!" she doesn't bother explaining about the copies, which would just sow confusion.

Trahearne carefully unravels the connection in such a way as to pull him back to reality.

* * *

Within the mindscape, Canach sees Braham's unconscious form wink out, and hopes he's all right.

Caithe's representation comes back, and the determination she feels at breaking the dragon bleeds through the Dream, infecting other sylvari with the need to end the dragon. The representations of all the sylvari multiply as they win the battle for their own freedom and join the attack on Mordremoth.

Mordremoth's mental fortitude is failing, and numerous Mordrem which aren't turned sylvari collapse as Mordremoth is the one defending.

* * *

Outside, the Mordrem onslaught against Trahearne, Marjory, Rytlock, and the unconscious Caithe and Braham multiplies vastly, as does the attack on Trahearne's mind. It is all he can do to maintain Canach's connection and keep his mind his own.

Marjory takes an equal measure of lifeforce from Rytlock and herself to feed Braham with. Not a lot, but enough to jumpstart Braham's regenerating lifeforce. She also takes lots of lifeforce from the Mordrem, reviving Braham quickly.

Once Braham is up, she regenerates the rest of the group's lifeforce, and the three of them push back the onslaught of Mordrem. When there is no more capacity for lifeforce in them, she funnels it to Trahearne and Caithe, strengthening Caithe's presence in the mindscape and aiding Trahearne's mental battle, as well as weakening Mordremoth. Stealing lifeforce from Mordrem does not kill them, as the lifeforce of Mordrem is supplied by the jungle dragon.

So Marjory is able to steal massive amounts of lifeforce at once, channeling more than she had ever channeled before. The only reason she does not explode from so much energy is the fact that she is funneling it to other people. Caithe and Trahearne can use an almost endless supply of lifeforce, as can Canach, who has been unconscious since he first entered the mindscape.

* * *

Inside, Caithe becomes the only true representation, aside from Nierwenda and Canach, to be physically substantial. She shadowsteps around the copies, taking injuries. The Trahearne and Marjory copies begin taking her lifeforce, but she seems to be mostly unaffected by it. Canach's lifeforce levels leap up, but he doesn't question it.

* * *

Outside, the real Marjory notices Caithe's lifeforce reserves dropping, and stops funneling to Trahearne. He is okay enough to not need it as much as Caithe does. She channels it all to Caithe, instead, but she is barely keeping up with her decreasing lifeforce. It's as if two other necromancers are stealing her lifeforce at the same time, and she is only channeling enough into Caithe to negate most of it. Her reserves are still dropping. She wouldn't show being affected by it, since it's just her reserves, but once her reserves hit rock bottom it will start impeding her performance.

* * *

Inside the mindscape, Caithe does her best to hold off the dragon and the copies, while Canach reactivates the rift. The copies switch sides, amazing Caithe for a brief moment, before the affinity with Dream linking her to Canach lets her know that's what he expected. Now the Marjory and Trahearne copies stopped drawing her lifeforce.

* * *

Outside, the real Marjory notices Caithe's reserves shoot up from her own channeling, only depleteing on the normal scale (at least, normal for sustaining a representation in a mindscape). Marjory quickly cuts the supply rate in half, and funnels the other half to Trahearne. She slows up on the amount of lifeforce she is channeling so she doesn't channel more than she can stand when Caithe and Trahearne don't need it anymore.

She tops off Rytlock and Braham's lifeforce, before thinning the flow of lifeforce to Trahearne and Caithe to the amount they are using, keeping their lifeforce amount stable.

* * *

Within the mindscape, Nierwenda is still incapacitated with trying to resist the dragon - the input from her now-faint connection with Dream reminds her who she is, and she is fighting with everything she has. She launches her own will at the dragon's mind, attacking like the rest of the sylvari race, attacking mentally.

The sylvari who are all just visible representations are watching the battle, and wondering what they can do to help outside of attacking the dragon. Caithe notices this, and tells them what is going on. Then, putting two and two together, she realizes why the Marjory and Trahearne copies lifeforce drain didn't have much affect, and how she is the only substantial representation, and she winks out of the mindscape.

* * *

Outside, she instantly she goes into shock from the lifeforce Marjory is funneling. Marjory quickly switches the lifeforce feed to Trahearne, before easing up on the lifeforce she is drawing to an amount that she can survive.

"How do you do that, Marjory?" Caithe asks.

"I just steal the dragon's lifeforce and feed it to you. You were dropping terribly a minute ago, what happened?"

"Mordremoth has fake versions of you and Trahearne fighting Canach inside that mindscape, and they were draining me. Thanks for keeping it up. All the sylvari - _all_ the sylvari - are fighting back, but they can't do anything because they're insubstantial. Do you think that would work for them too?"

"I don't see why not," Marjory replies. "Is there any way you can warn me when you're waking up next time? The level of lifeforce boost it takes to keep your reserves up properly when you're unconscious - in the mindscape, I suppose - almost killed you when you came out of it."

"I don't know how I could. Just let me drop at a normal rate. I've managed that way my whole life, I'll be fine."

"Got it."

Caithe promptly enters the mindscape again, and Marjory resumes funneling lifeforce into her, but less than before.

* * *

Inside, Caithe reappears in the mindscape and informs the watching sylvari what is happening and how to help, before rejoining the battle.

"Marjory - the real Marjory - is keeping your lifeforce levels up," she informs him. Canach nods, glad the source is more dependable than the copies.

A lot of copies wink out for several minutes, before coming back stronger than ever and assisting in the battle.

* * *

Outside, Mordremoth drops focus on anything except cutting Canach's connection, knowing that will cut the other connections, as Canach is the focal point for the sylvari race rallying against him. His mental attack on Trahearne is all of him, and the only thing he spares his mental fortitude for is hundreds of Mordrem attacking the small defense.

This results in the necromancers channeling his lifeforce all over his jungle no longer having something to draw from, and only Marjory's channeling does anything. When Mordremoth realizes that the reason for his slowly depleting lifeforce is Marjory's channeling, he stops the onslaught of Mordrem.

Without a source of lifeforce for Marjory to channel, Canach and Caithe's reserves begin dropping. There is nothing Marjory can do about that - Caithe will have to go back to being a simple bystander, and Canach had been fine before she started channeling - but that channeling had been the only reason Trahearne manages to keep his mind his own.

She quickly explains the situation to Braham and Rytlock, and at their agreement (Braham remembering this happening in the mindscape) she begins taking their lifeforce and funneling it into Trahearne. It is by no means the level she'd been channeling it before, but it helps.

* * *

Within the mindscape, Caithe realizes her reserves are dropping, and that something must have happened outside. Which means she only has a limited time before she gets insubstantial again.

The mental connection with Mordremoth means all the sylvari know what is happening to their lifeforce supply, and redouble their efforts at bringing the dragon down.

Suddenly, Canach notices that Mordremoth is preparing for another massive attack, and he notices too late to tell what is going on. And his shield isn't big enough to protect them all anyway.

He erects the shield and shouts to get under protection, but very few get under it. The rest have their lifeforce severely depleted, but rather than depleting their lifeforce and then killing them, they simply go insubstantial. And the copies turn.

So underneath the shield is Canach, Caithe, and one or two others.

"We need to pool our consciousness," Canach tells them, remembering how Braham tried to come up with a copy of his own. "We're not powerful enough on our own."

"The Dream should let us do that," one of the sylvari remarks. "If we need to pool our consciousness."

"Nobody else will be able to help, though," Caithe warns. "Their lifeforce is too depleted."

"Well, either Braham has got a fantastic mind, or it's ridiculously easy to summon our own copies," Canach says, before explaining what his idea is.

"You be the focal point," Caithe tells him. "You know how it's done better than we do."

Canach nods grimly, before embracing the Dream and melding his consciousness with the other four. Their minds work in conjunction with one another, and Canach constructs a copy of Marjory, funneling lifeforce into the insubstantial sylvari from Mordremoth.

Caithe makes sure the shield stays up by keeping a hand on the device, but her mind is tangled up with the other four.

It strains the limits of the five sylvari consciousness to keep the Marjory copy funneling, but as more and more sylvari gain enough lifeforce to become substantial, they join the effort, until there are ten consciousnesses fueling the copy, at which point Canach constructs a copy of Trahearne doing the same thing. The exponential substantializing of the sylvari race within Mordremoth's mindscape is incredible to witness.

* * *

Outside, Marjory notices Caithe and Canach's reserves go to an all-time low temporarily, before soaring back up. They stay near the peak of her limit without declining, and Marjory decides that somebody in the mindscape must be funneling into them.

She pulls a token amount of lifeforce from Caithe as a warning that she's about to pull more, and gives it to Trahearne, who is on the verge of failing the mental battle. She does the same from Canach.

* * *

Inside, Canach feels the slight depleting of his lifeforce, and Caithe interprets it and tells him what is happening. Canach adjusts the copies funneling lifeforce to keep him and Caithe going.

* * *

Outside, after Marjory sees Caithe and Canach's lifeforce go back up, she starts drawing steadily from both of them, plus herself, Rytlock and Braham. Trahearne is now just barely holding on. Marjory is forced to draw more and more deeply on Caithe and Canach's reserves.

* * *

Inside, Canach constucts more and more necromancers to draw from Mordremoth and funnel to the sylvari race. He tried to have more than one copy of Marjory, but that did not work, as only one representation/copy can be generated by the same mind or joining of minds.

However, Canach is not limited for necromancers to conjure up, (imagining a whole new person is too taxing on the mental joining) as the other sylvari whose minds he is joined with know others who are necromancers.

Mordremoth turns the Marjory and Trahearne copies back to him, and try to pull lifeforce back into himself, but there are now more pulling from Mordremoth than giving to him. Mordremoth lets the Rytlock copy wink out, and generates more necromancers to counter the now-severe lifeforce draw.

Canach now prioritizes which sylvari to give lifeforce to, searching out those that are necromancers. Those that are necromancers he delegates to upholding his and Caithe's reserves.

The mental joining means that speech is not necessary, and simple thought is all that is necessary, and everybody understands the whys. Caithe drops out of the mindscape to figure out exactly what Marjory is doing, and when she returns, the awareness that if Trahearne fails, Canach fails, which means the whole construct fails, results in everybody keeping their reserves up.

* * *

Outside, Marjory observes that Caithe and Canach's reserves stay at full no matter how she draws on them, and decides to go all out.

Inside, the sylvari are surprised at the vehement drawing of lifeforce, but, knowing why, the necromancers simply keep going.

The multitude of mentally-generated necromancers pulling on Mordremoth's lifeforce keeps multiplying, and when there are no more known necromancers, Canach simply pulls up other people copies and gives them necromantic powers.

More and more sylvari are being added to the mental pool within the Dream, all absorbing Mordremoth's lifeforce with the many necromancers feeding them.

* * *

Outside, Marjory draws more lifeforce than she has ever drawn before, funneling it into Trahearne. The amount of lifeforce used in his battle with Mordremoth is stunning, and even drawing all she can handle that is safe - at one point she'd drawn too much and Caithe and Canach's reserves hadn't jumped up quick enough, at which point she stopped - Trahearne is barely holding on.

Mordremoth, realizing that his lifeforce is being drawn anyway, sends his hordes against the group again. Marjory relishes in drawing more lifeforce from Mordremoth, knowing it can only hurt his chances.

* * *

Inside, the amount of lifeforce Mordremoth has goes into a slightly steeper decline. It is more of a change than any of the mentally-generated necromancers have affected, and the only conclusion the pool of sylvari can make is that Marjory started drawing from the dragon again, and real necromancers are much more effective than imagined ones.

* * *

Outside, Trahearne's lifeforce supply starts climbing quickly. Marjory slowly cuts the lifeforce drawn from Caithe and Canach, taking instead from the dragon.

* * *

Inside, Caithe and Canach realize they are being fed more lifeforce than they need, and redirect that to the multitude of still-insubstantial sylvari ' _We've got a whole race to provide lifeforce for, we're not going to run out anytime soon!_ ' which only helps the offensive against the dragon.

* * *

Outside, Marjory sees confirmation that Canach and Caithe registered the depleting draw in that their lifeforce, as it leveled out rather then climbing past their limit as would have happened if they hadn't noticed. She keeps depleting the amount she draws from the two unconscious sylvari, depending on the dragon for keeping Trahearne's supply up, until she is not taking anything from Caithe or Canach, but rather feeding them.

* * *

Inside, the mental necromancers stop feeding Caithe and Canach at all, as they have their own source. At the same time, Mordremoth's rate of lifeforce loss just continues in a steep decline.

* * *

Outside, Trahearne is still unresponsive, doing all he can to maintain Canach's connection and staying his own mind and not submitting.

Caithe wakes up and updates Marjory on the battle, including that Mordremoth is purely focusing on taking over Trahearne's mind and attacking them.

"Well, no wonder he isn't waking up, no matter how much lifeforce I pour into him," Marjory remarks. "Mordremoth's supply of Mordrem isn't decreasing much - Rytlock and Braham are just holding them off so I can draw more at a time."

"Good. Can you draw lifeforce from the jungle?"

"I can try," Marjory shrugs, "but I've never been able to draw from it before."

"Well, it's not just any jungle," Caithe reminds her.

Marjory tries to draw from the jungle, and gets an influx of lifeforce. "It works," she reports.

"Alright, this could turn the tide at last," Caithe says, reentering the mindscape.

* * *

Within the mindscape, the other sylvari realize what other necromancers can do, but before they all disappear to speak to necromancers who had been giving them lifeforce before Mordremoth stopped attack, Caithe reminds them that doing so would negate half the mentally-generated necromancers.

"One at a time, then, one at a time. Even one necromancer does a lot," somebody says.

So one by one, sylvari who know necromancers around them in the Maguuma jungle disappear for a few minutes before popping back in again, without the need of the mental necromancers to funnel to them, rather rejuvenating more and more sylvari.

Mordremoth's lifeforce goes down as more and more necromancers outside draw from the jungle, and as other necromancers travel to Maguuma via waypoint or asura gate to draw the lifeforce of the jungle.

The rate of Mordremoth's lifeforce decline is now more than the jungle can replace with his own mentally-generated necromancers, so he abandons even that attempt and focuses even more purely on Trahearne, abandoning even his Mordrem attacking Trahearne.

* * *

Outside, the Mordrem go limp, and Marjory switches to stealing lifeforce purely from the jungle around her to keep Trahearne's levels up.

She can see how well the battle is going against the dragon by feeding Trahearne a steady, even amount of lifeforce and seeing how he regenerates or depletes as the battle goes. She sees he has an advantage over the dragon, as it is not going down nearly as harshly as it did before. But he still needs lifeforce - just not nearly as much as before. She channels mostly into Caithe and Canach, now.

* * *

Inside, Canach determines that Marjory is feeding them too much, but rather than send Caithe to tell her to stop, he realizes that, rather than expending mental power to create a whole new copy, they can simply imagine him and Caithe as having necromantic powers, which uses a lot less mental power than creating a whole new copy.

Realizing this, Canach begins giving necromantic powers to everyone who has an outside source. The leap in sylvari becoming substantial is quite noticeable.

* * *

Outside, Marjory sees Caithe and Canach using the lifeforce she is feeding them, and determines that a necromancer must be draining them. So she pulls even more fiercely at the jungle around her, funneling it into Caithe and Canach and as much into Trahearne as he needs.

However, the pattern of usage in Caithe and Canach's lifeforce is familiar - they seem to be controlling the lifeforce taken from them, as if they are necromancers themselves. Grinning gleefully, she pours all the lifeforce she can get from the jungle into them.

"Marjory, are you alright?" Braham asks worriedly. "You're kind of glowing."

"It's probably all the lifeforce I'm channeling," Marjory replies absently. "Caithe and Canach are necromancers, feeding other people, I have to keep them full of lifeforce."

Braham and Rytlock looks at each other.

"...You do know how ridiculous that sounds, right?"

"Well, either they're necromancers or they are controlling the person who's draining their lifeforce. Honestly, the former makes more sense. Anything they imagine comes true in the mindscape, apparently, wouldn't be so hard to imagine themselves as necromancers." Marjory pulls more and more lifeforce.

Braham notices something odd, and inspects a leafy vine to make sure. "Hey, the leaves are turning brown, just a bit."

"Well, that is where I'm pulling the lifeforce from," Marjory shrugs. "The jungle dragon is probably running out. Can I use you two as storage containers for lifeforce, for when the dragon runs out and I need to maintain Trahearne's lifeforce?"

"...sure?" Braham shrugs. Rytlock agrees.

* * *

Inside, Mordremoth's avatar turns and starts banging on Canach's shield. He's only shielding those he can shield - most of the sylvari are outside of the protective bubble, but killing them just depletes their lifeforce. If the dragon can kill Canach - the only person capable of dying rather than just going insubstantial - the whole system will crash. The dragon also does more focus on breaking Trahearne's connection with Canach, which is a whole lot harder to defend on Trahearne's part.

* * *

In between the mindscape and reality, Trahearne's battle with Mordremoth is reaching such a high level of intensity that Trahearne knows he should have lost a long time ago. But his mental fortitude does not seem to be depleteing, on the contrary, he constantly feels energized, even when he should be falling unconscious from mental exertion.

Trahearne does not know about the lifeforce battle going on inside Mordremoth's mind. At least, he kind of doesn't. Being connected so much to Mordremoth - not to mention trying to _maintain_ that link - is very conductive to knowing what is going on in Mordremoth's mind. But the information he receives is second-hand, and tinted with the dragon's view.

The dragon seems to be losing energy much faster than he should have for this level battle, and Trahearne decides it must be the mental battle.

And now the dragon is attacking the connection. If Trahearne couldn't see the battle going on in Mordremoth's mind he would have let the dragon take the connection, but he knows that Canach needs that connection to defeat the dragon.

And then, Trahearne sees something that freezes him. The healthy - Trahearne mentally shakes his head at the use of the word healthy - connection to Nierwenda. Nierwenda submitted to the dragon, and submitted for quite a while, and now she is in the in-between world, like him, doing nothing physically or mentally besides keeping the dragon out. And she is as much on the dragon's side as he is not. Meaning that she got inbetween from being completely on the dragon's side. He reaches out and touches her mind, before recoiling as Mordremoth's mind hammers at that undefended arm like that is what the world depends on. Well, it kind of does, Trahearne tells himself.

But Trahearne sees Nierwenda's consciousness react to it, and reaches out herself. He meets her halfway, careful to keep them both shielded. He tells her what is going on - how the connection is the only thing keeping Canach's organization working properly, but how the dragon wants it gone, and how much he would let it be gone if this didn't depend on it.

Nierwenda understands, and shares her plan with him. Delighted, Trahearne agrees.

* * *

Inside the mindscape, Nierwenda convulses for a minute, before looking up, her own sylvari. She tentatively reaches out and touches the pool of sylvari within the Dream. She contacts with it, and she feels the pools collective delight when they realize she is her own now. She joins the entwining of minds and tells Canach what is going on with the connection, and the importance of the connection both to Mordremoth and to their effort.

Mordremoth is still holding her connection to reality, but doesn't seem to notice it at all. Canach updates her completly on what is going on within a few seconds, before carefully passing control of the infrastructure of minds and control over to her, carefully and gradually. When Canach no longer is focal point of the sylvari pool, he leaves the mindscape.

* * *

In between, on the Mordremoth vs Trahearne battleground, Trahearne feels the connection holding Canach in the mindscape unravel, and knows Canach no longer needs the connection. He lets Mordremoth take it, and retreats into his own mind.

No longer needing to defend the connection, Trahearne takes the time while Mordremoth is busy ripping the connection out of his mind to build up the rest of his defenses.

By the time Mordremoth realizes that he has no use for this connection, Trahearne's mind is too well-defended to replace the connection.

* * *

Outside the mindscape, Canach wakes up and instantly glows eye-searingly bright, flying into the air for how much energy he put into getting to his feet.

Marjory goes white, and instantly diverts the lifeforce flow into Caithe, who also goes over her limit quickly, before she uses it up speedily. Majory draws Canach's lifeforce down a manageable level, and he stops glowing and using so much energy.

Marjory's heart is beating so fast she is surprised she hasn't had a heart attack already.

"That almost killed you! Some warning next time?"

"The sooner that connection stops the better!" Canach counters gesturing at Trahearne. He then proceeds to tell Marjory exactly what that connection is and what it means once Mordremoth is destroyed. "And you do know you're glowing, right?"

"Only reason I'm not dead is because I'm funneling into Caithe and Trahearne. Oh, he stopped declining so quickly. The connection must be gone now."

"Why are all of the leaves yellow?" Canach asks.

"Mordremoth's running out of lifeforce," Braham says, before updating him on what they know is going on while Marjory adjusts the lifeforce going to Trahearne.

"Hey, Caithe can't handle this much lifeforce, even using it up. She's not a natural necromancer, she just can't handle it."

"I can go back into the mindscape without using the connection," Canach tells them, before entering through the Dream.

Marjory quickly funnels the extra lifeforce through Canach again.

* * *

Inside, Canach joins the pool and Nierwenda transferrs control again. It's just not safe to have the focal point be somebody whose connection is being held by Mordremoth. Nierwenda leaves the mindscape.

* * *

Outside, Nierwenda wakes up.

Rytlock and Braham instantly face her with their weapons, having been updated previously on Nierwenda's submission to the dragon. Marjory prepares to overload her with lifeforce, such a method being her only weapon at the moment.

Nierwenda holds up her hands, palm outward, showing she is not holding any weapons. "I'm fine. I fought him off," she says tiredly. Marjory had not been feeding her lifeforce while she was in control of the sylvari pool.

"She did," Trahearne confirms suddenly, having built up his defenses sufficiently to be able to interact outside again. "It's how I was able to break the connection to Mordremoth without the whole lifeforce battle being ripped apart. I think I'll join that battle." Trahearne and Nierwenda promptly enter the mindscape via the Dream.

* * *

Inside, when Trahearne joins the pool, morale is quite increased.

But Mordremoth, no longer needing to focus on Trahearne - the connection means nothing, now, and he has the best mind-defense of all the sylvari, especially in that pool, Mordremoth focuses on the focal point of the pool within the Dream - Canach. He bangs on the shield that Canach is under, but since it is not Canach maintaining the shield, it simply flickers and depletes lifeforce as the shield control is handed off among other sylvari, purposely not Canach.

And everybody, realizing Trahearne's mental fortitude (he did hold off the dragon's entire mind for a long time, and is really good at it now) passes control to him, but pretending that Canach is still in control to deceive Mordremoth. In reality, Trahearne is on the other side of the mindscape, hidden amongst all the other sylvari. And he's also stealing lifeforce from Mordremoth, and he is pulling more than any other necromancer out there, funneling into the rest of the sylvari who aren't substantial yet.

Sylvari who aren't necromancers are letting their mental space be used for more mentally-generated necromancers.

Trahearne suggests that the pool have no focal point - it doesn't need one, just a pool of sylvari, and if somebody has an idea they can take control for a while. The whole idea of a focal point is outdated anyway.

This suggestion is implemented, but to keep Mordremoth on his toes, the shield is passed around for a while before being disabled. Nobody within the mindscape is mortal - anybody who dies just goes insubstantial until they can be given enough lifeforce again.

* * *

Outside, Mordremoth, no longer able to focus on a specific sylvari, decides to replenish his lifeforce. So he focuses on outside sylvari necromancers, piling his power into them. And nobody notices, because he does it all at once. And then, that sylvari wakes up and pulls lifeforce from the necromancer that had been maintaining his connection and giving it back to Mordremoth. After killing all the non-sylvari around that sylvari by depleteing their lifeforce, he relinquished control and found another sylvari. In this way he regained a lot of lifeforce, decimating the Pact in the process.

Most sylvari with a non-sylvari necromancer companion had attracted quite a crowd to donate lifeforce, and so the sylvari necromancers he simply woke up and stole all the lifeforce back, decimating the camp that sylvari was in, before moving to the next one, and the next.

In this way, most, if not all, of the Pact died due to loss of lifeforce. And it happened so quickly, too, that by the time the first sylvari to be used in this way got back to the mindscape to report it, it was over, and the Pact was gone but for sylvari.

And now Mordremoth is taking the sylvari necromancers and is going about wiping out the rest of the sylvari.

* * *

Coming to a decision inside the mindscape, the Dream-pool of sylvari takes lifeforce out of the sylvari necromancers, but only to the point of unconsciousness. The Dream-pool is not much affected, but the draw on Mordremoth's lifeforce is. Sylvari are instructed to wake up and get to where Marjory is, along with any non-sylvari necromancers that escaped Mordremoth's purge.

* * *

Outside, sylvari wake up and go to Marjory - the route is easy with Mordremoth focusing on other things - before telling her about the situation and reentering the mindscape.

Marjory just pulls more and more, aided by the non-sylvari necromancers as they arrive. Marjory is pulling lifeforce so much she is glowing, as are the rest of the necromancers, all funneling into the unconscious sylvari focusing on the mindscape.

The leaves turn from yellow to brown, and then the yellow to brown change starts taking effect in the branches and vines and everything, until they are no longer standing in a lush, green jungle, but a brown, wintery-seeming desolation.

Braham and Rytlock don't know what to do - they aren't necromancers or sylvari. Marjory puts them on escort duty, meaning they go out and find more necromancers or sylvari and make sure they get to the rest of them safely.

* * *

Inside the mindscape, the lifeforce draw is taking it's toll. Mordremoth's avatar is stumbling around wearily, and the sea of sylvari with imagined necromantic powers is giving the avatar a wide berth, but drawing greedily on the lifeforce just the same.

The exponential curve of sylvari becoming substantial, being given necromantic powers, drawing lifeforce and helping more sylvari become substantial just keeps going, and going, and going.

Until Mordremoth's avatar faints. All the sylvari necromancers - especially the natural ones, and the mentally-generated - overload themselves, picking a target and delegating them the task of choosing who to make substantial so they can focus on channeling.

And then Mordremoth's avatar flickers out, and then the mindscape vanishes.

* * *

Outside the now non-existent mindscape, those who aren't naturals lose their necromantic abilities. The mindscape is non-existent, and sylvari all over Tyria wake up and explain to their friends what just happened.

The record is set for how fast news spread. Sylvari mesmers attract a lot of notice to replay what happened within the mindscape as an illusion, and soon everybody knows exactly what happened, in a way that did more than words, although words were needed to explain lifeforce.

"Who knew lifeforce was so important?" one person asks, laughing.

The most important thing is the sylvari learning about uniting within the Dream to work together.

A lot of enemies reconcile with each other, as sharing consciousnesses within the Dream and mindscape helps them understand the other side of the story.

The universal sylvari-sharing-consciousness in the desperate try for survival brought a lot of unity to the sylvari race - even Nightmare Courtiers had been involved in it, and everybody understood the other's ideas.

The Nightmare Court becomes a faction of sylvari who prefer not to follow the tenets of Ventari's Tablet, but they no longer seek out to kill and torture other sylvari.

Even Soundless had felt the call of Dream, however much they tried to distance themselves. They followed the call just a bit, but were not involved in the consciousness-sharing.

The exponential growth of the Dream-pool meant that, although there was no shortage of funneling lifeforce, all sylvari did participate in it.

Some sylvari described the experience as of having gone through the Dream all over again, only with all the sylvari contributing memories. The ocean of memories that makes up the Dream was doubled many times over.

And everybody knows what would have happened if Trahearne's connection - the connection keeping Canach in the mindscape - had not been neutralized, and everybody is glad that Nierwenda was able to take control and allow Canach to leave the mindscape, allowing Trahearne to let the dragon take his connection back.

And nobody faults Nierwenda for turning to Mordremoth temporarily, especially when everybody had seen the memory in the Dream-pool. In fact, if she hadn't turned, some theorized, the connection might never have been neutralized, and everybody knows what would have happened then.

The one downside is Mordremoth's last counterattack against the Pact - there are very few non-sylvari left within the Pact, and the Pact is greatly decimated. At least the parts of it within the Maguuma.

Some necromancers try to make them live again by giving them a lot of lifeforce, but it doesn't work. Nierwenda tries - she's been known to take unconscious and presumed dead people and revive them again (meaning they _can't_ have been dead yet) - but it doesn't work.

This loss of life within the Pact is devastating and morale-crushing, and some turn against the sylvari who did it, as a result, but most of Tyria, having seen the illusions of memories replayed, realizes it was purely sylvari work that ended Mordremoth.

Nierwenda laughs. "Canach, remember right after we killed Faolain, you said 'the world needs to see a sylvari exact vengeance'?"

Everyone who had been there for that laughs.

"Indeed. Who knew that I had a gift for telling the future," Canach replies dryly.

"Did you just tell a joke, Canach?" somebody asks, and the remarkable news that Canach told a joke spreads, causing anyone who knows Canach to stare, before finding a mesmer to replay the memory.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

NO! I had this remarkable dream (lowercase d) about what if Nierwenda turned to Mordremoth and the havoc that would wreak, but then so many things went wrong!

First, I had a nightmare (lowercase n) of a time getting Nierwenda to turn to Mordremoth in the first place, and

Second, I was _going_ to have Canach and Braham die (evil, yes I know, but no more than having the Commander turn) and then Nierwenda and Mordremoth take over the world together (or something like that) and I had trouble doing that, and it ALMOST WORKED, until

Third, I enlisted the ENTIRE SYLVARI RACE to come and help them! You can't just have Mordrmemoth _not_ die at that point, now can you? And

Fourth, I was _going_ to make this a multi-chapter story, spinning out Nierwenda and Mordremoth taking over the world, but then it all happened in a single chapter!

So my story entirely did not go as planned! And if you ask my family, they'll tell you how much I ranted over this story not going as planned.

But hey! Maybe Anet will put this as the alternate ending to HoT! It is much more climactic and tense than the original version, and Trahearne doesn't die! Although, it might break the rules of mindscapes and lifeforce a bit much... but I definitely needed to have Mordremoth have A _**TON**_ of lifeforce because he's an ELDER DRAGON for goodness sake.

And now my rambling is over, and I must say, I really, really, like this chapter, much as it contradicted my dreams. I'll just have to go with the other version I thought up, which was having Mordremth turn Nierwenda in her Dream. Which, tbh, I have no idea how that would work.

Anyway! The hardest part of this was Nierwenda having a stronger mind than my story-writing could overcome for a while. (I consider it properly symbolic that she only completely got away from Mordremoth by talking to Trahearne.)


	9. Chapter 9: Lightbringer Vriré

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary: The backstory of an OC from _Tyria's Real!?_ Her name is Vriré, and she is a Lightbringer of the Order of Whispers. She is an asuran warrior.

* * *

Chapter nine: Lightbringer Vriré

* * *

 _Author's Notes_ :

This is for anyone who has read my main GW2 story, _Tyria's Real!?_ and wants to know more about Vriré, the Lightbringer who has shown an interest in Tiffany and Fiona.

Of course, if you haven't read TR, and simply are reading my one-shots, go right ahead. This is backstory, and assumes you know nothing about Vriré. Very basic information about her is in the summary.

At first, Koraw's name was Koraw Buntspecter, of the Burnt warband. But then I figured out that the Burnt warband _led_ the Flame Legion back when the Flame Legion did all the bad stuff during the retaking of Ascalon, and the Burnt warband remains near the top of the chain of command even to this day. So I renamed Koraw Shadowspecter, of the Shadow warband.

 _ **Alright, here's the lore now:**_

* * *

Vriré, a female asura, has always been cheerful and outgoing, and makes friends quickly. She has a very active imagination, and is very creative.

She is, at least in her younger years, a typical asura, education-wise. She absorbs what her parents teach her, asking for more information, until her parents send her to study under Blipp around six years of age, in 1300, also the year that the first sylvari emerge from the Pale Tree.

Blipp teaches her and trains her well for six years. He never lets her give up - on anything.

"Your first try should never be your last," he tells her sternly, many times over the years. "Especially if it succeeded. You can always succeed bigger next time."

Vriré takes her own lessons from Blipp's words. 'Especially if it succeeded' is all very well and good, for inventing things. But what about the vast array of other things to do in the wide world of Tyria? What if there is no try again? What if it's a task that you can only do once? Or a task with several variants and a different approach to each one? 'Especially if it succeeded' is a very narrow-minded phrase. Any 'especially' is. In different situations, there is a different 'especially.' 'Especially if it succeeded' applies greatly to inventions. 'Especially if it failed' might work for clearing out the Inquest. 'Especially if they're sentient' applies to getting to know people who aren't you.

But she never voices these contradictions. She is rather secretive - not surprising for an asura - but not too secretive. She is still bright, outgoing, and makes friends easily.

Easily, yes, but easily gained easily gone. It is the long-time friends that she clings to. Many asura she gets to know temporarily, but when they leave she does not mind. While they are there they are awesome best friends, but they are not permanent.

On the other hand, Cirra and Drekk are her life-long, steadfast companions. She meets them even before Blipp, when her parents irritatedly send her out of the house so they can invent things without her getting in the way.

That is how she meets Cirra, who had the same problem, but she is a year older than Vriré. She introduces Vriré to Drekk, who likes thinking up ways to attack people, and what can be made into weapons. Cirra, who is always forced into a defending role in the war games, recruits Vriré, who plays the behind-the-scenes playing-both-sides mediator.

So the three bond over that, and Vriré finds two stout friends and allies. At around eleven years of age, they sneak out of Rata Sum to have an adventure. At one point, Vriré is stunned, pinned on the ground by a large beast - none of the trio had got a good look at it - and almost killed, when Drekk jumps on it's back, knocking it over.

They only have very rudimentary weapons with them - Cirra has a shortbow with a loose string and some arrows with dull tips, Vriré a rusty old sword, and Drekk an unweildy mace. And those had been lost when the beast attacked them. They get away safely, however. But Drekk still risks his life to save Vriré's, and she never forgets it.

Not too long later, Cirra and Vriré are working on a device, which Cirra sees is about to explode - lethally - which Vriré doesn't notice. Cirra lunges across the room to Vrire. She puts herself between Vriré and the blast, and only her momentum helping the blast to knock them over rather than killing them.

The room is a mess, but Vriré is unendingly grateful to Cirra for saving her - at risk to her own life.

These are friends she can trust.

Vriré saves her friends in many ways as well, though they never know it much. She had once rigged a listening device through their parent's study rooms, just for the fun of it, when her parents sent her to Blipp.

About a year after that, she had been listening to it, and heard their parents discussing separating the band of three - "they get up to too much trouble for us to deal with any longer!" - and taken steps to stop it. She'd informed her friends to stop making mischeif - at least that could be traced to them - and pretended to stop spending time together so much (although of course they were, in secret).

They took hints from their parents and conformed to their wishes, and became - at least to all appearances - model progeny.

Before Blipp is done teaching her everything she knows, he trains her in the art of being a warrior. She specializes in swords and axes, and, when uninjured, is hard to hurt. When her enemy is weakened or injured, she easily weakens them. Her adrenaline rushes help her to ignore her pain. Upon being hit, she retaliates as quick as lightning. Her adrenaline climbs as she is injured, just helping her to ignore it better.

She learns to arrange the weight of her weapons in such a way that it helps her move faster. She learns how to speedily switch from one weapon to another without losing any time, and surprising her enemies by doing so. Her adrenaline runs high in the midst of a battle, and she can unleash it in a fury when she so chooses.

When she does, she is lost in fury for a moment, dealing critical hits and easily blocking their attempts to injure her. When her opponent is immobilized, her fury just climbs higher, as does her adrenaline. She keeps her swords sharpened in just such a way so as to increase bleeding, and learns to strike in such a way so as to prolong such bleeding, and where to hit to critically injure the enemy.

She and Blipp adventure out into the wilds, generally bringing along Cirra and/or Drekk as well, to practice her skills.

Meanwhile, she, Drekk, and Cirra continue to act as if they're not very good friends, just until they get just so much older that their parents don't have that level of control over them, before Drekk slaps it in their faces what they'd been doing and how they'd known about it.

They are suitably shocked, but having been under the tutelage of others this whole time - Drekk apprenticed to Bronk, Cirra to Zinga - they had lost influence over their progeny.

Many other threats Vriré identifies before they happen, and stops them on her own if she can. Some of those include discoving Inquest plans to raid their lab and ambushing them before they start.

So the three are a closely-knit group, and they often jokingly call themselves a krewe, even though there is no purpose to their companionship other than friendship.

After their advisors teach them all that they can, the three try to figure out which colleges to join.

The group decide to go with the College of Dynamics, where they do well. At least, for a time. Drekk excells in Dynamics, and decides to take up weaponsmithing. Cirra leaves for Statics and takes up armorsmithing. Vriré, having to choose between her two friends, looks at the college's stated purposes to choose, and eventually joins Cirra. But she had taken longer to decide, and so has a very odd range of knowledge between the two colleges.

Both of Vriré's friends do well in their chosen fields, and Drekk being in a different college does not hinder their friendship.

Vriré does not really have a passion, not the way Drekk takes to weaponsmithing like a hilt to a sword, or Cirra to armorsmithing in the same way. Vriré learns the basics of a wide range of things, and graduates in 1310 with her friends.

During her time in the College of Statics, she meets two asura, several years older than her, who live near the college. Their names are Trappu and Dloxxox, and they are married, and have been for a year or so.

Trappu is a mortician, but she is not the sort of person you would expect, for that. She doesn't really look at what she does. When at her job she will do her job, but she blocks off the emotional part of her mind until after. Dloxxox is a builder, a graduate of the College of Statics, and he is generally away building things.

As their jobs require, they are hardy asura, but they are not very tolerant of little tasks. The ones that will save time later but use time now are irritating to Trappu, as are questions about mundane things. although Dloxxox just does them. He is a patient soul.

Both Trappu and Dloxxox are extremely intelligent, even for asura, although, as Trappu tells Vriré, it had been late in showing.

Vriré - and, to a lesser degree, Cirra and Drekk - get to know these two asura rather well. The bond that Vriré has with Cirra and Drekk is not replicated in Trappu and Dloxxox, but she knows them rather well. If she was not Vriré, they would have been companions of the highest order. But it takes a lot more to become friends with Vriré like that.

* * *

In 1311, the year after her graduation, Vriré visits all the capitals of the nations - the Grove, Divinity's Reach, the Black Citadel, Hoelbrak, and Lion's Arch. She makes a couple temporary friends, and a one or two more long-term ones, like Pierre DeGlasse.

She meets Pierre DeGlasse while visiting Divinity's Reach. He is the Seraph who is in charge of training Seraph recruits, and runs the Seraph Training Academy. He tells her about the Order of Whispers, after getting to know her some. He doesn't know much about it himself, but he is planning on looking into it.

When Vriré returns to Rata Sum in early 1312, she spends some weeks catching up with her friends, and getting to know Trappu and Dloxxox better.

Later in the year, Pierre contacts her and tells her more about the Order of Whispers, including where their outpost in Divinity's Reach is.

Vriré decides to check it out, and heads to Divinity's Reach, to where DeGlasse had told her the Whispers outpost is.

After finding out about the Order from the civilians in the area - whom Vriré suspects are agents in disguise - she takes the tests and joins the Order in mid 1312.

Her assigned mentor is a demanding human named Cirino Lucente, but Vriré excells, even so, and by early 1313, she becomes a full-fledged Agent of the Order, and her assigned partner is a charr named Koraw Shadowspecter, a necromancer of the Ash Legion. She and him become fast friends, saving each others lives many times.

In mid-spring 1313, Vriré is assigned to a post in the Far Shiverpeaks with Koraw, cut off from most contact due to distance and the nature of her assignment. This results in the close friendship she shares with Koraw to be multiplied many times over, as she cannot contact her other friends. They are a good team, and function smoothly. They are very much one person, and the with slightest hand gestures or eye contact (and ear twitchings) they communicate with each other. The friendship she shares with Koraw is much higher up the scale than even with Cirra and Drekk.

A year later, in 1314, Vriré and Koraw are assigned to Lion's Arch, where Drekk contacts Vriré and informs her of Trappu and Dloxxox's mysterious deaths not long after she had left for the Far Shiverpeaks, in late spring, or perhaps early summer. Drekk had been in Hoelbrak during that time, and Cirra in the Black Citadel, and nobody knows what happened.

She learns about Koraw's warband, before he joined the Order. The Shadow warband, of the Ash Legion. He keeps in touch and friends with them, and so, although Vriré never meets them, and they never meet her, the Shadow warband and Vriré know of each other.

After a while, in 1315, Vriré is promoted to the rank of Creator. She argues that she's never been very good with inventing things, even though she is asura, and prefers what she has been doing. But she is told that all asura are tested for Creator potential, however much aptitude they had shown in Rata Sum.

Vriré is trained as a Creator for all of half a year before being pronounced not Creator material.

But her superiors think she deserves a promotion, so they give her the rank of Keeper. Keepers lead dangerous missions, and Vriré's group - which includes Koraw, of course - is sent to Divinity's Reach in 1316.

As a Whispers detail, they remain inconspicious, and nobody knows why there are there, or that they are Whispers Agents. Their purpose is to defend a human named Jennah from any attack on the coronation where she is to be made queen. Nothing out of place happens, but the mission lasts for a week, anonymously and quietly stopping two assassination attempts.

When the Shining Blade are organized and Countess Anise takes up a permanent place by Queen Jennah's side, Vriré, as leader of the group, declares the mission over, after consulting with Koraw.

Then, in later 1316, Vriré is promoted to the rank of Keeper Slayer. Vriré knows about Keepers, of course, and had heard of Slayers, who take care of dangerous threats to the Order, but never Keeper Slayers. However, she concludes they must be people who lead dangerous missions to take care of dangerous threats to the Order. She is informed that any rank including Slayer is temporary, as the threat only lasts until the threat is nullified, and then where is the rank?

After clearing out a large cave network far north of Rata Sum and southwest of Kryta, stopping the Inquest operation that is threatening to overwhelm a critical Whispers base in the area, she is made a Lightbringer, along with her partner, Koraw. It is early 1317.

* * *

For three years the partners work together, on missions assigned them by the higher-ups. Occasionally, between missions, there are more threats that require a Slayer's expertise, or a large operation that requires a Keeper to handle it, or (which happens rarely) a Keeper Slayer.

In all things, she and Koraw work together, until they almost don't need to speak to each other for how well each knows the other. As a result, of course, Koraw gets to know Cirra and Drekk, who also become Koraw's friends. The necromancer is happy to become a part of the asuran krewe, all of whom are very good friends, and each knows that he/she can go to another of the group with his/her problems without being laughed at or embarrassed.

* * *

In 1320, Vriré and Koraw are leading a mission in eastern Ascalon, when, far above them, a gigantic, crystalline...

"Dragon!" shrieks the asuran ranger on the team, Kapp.

Koraw looks north and sees the land being... changed. " _Elder_ Dragon!" he hollers to the team.

"Alright, time to get undercover!" Vriré decides. "Now!"

But Kapp, the asuran ranger, who had been further out on scout duty, is staring at the dragon passing overhead.

"Kapp!" Koraw hollers. "Come now! Undercover, Kapp, come here!"

"Agent Kapp, come here! Kapp! Kapp!" Vriré hollers desperately. The group had been on this mission for the last couple months, Kapp is her friend. "Kapp, snap out of it! Kapp, please! Come here! Get undercover!"

The rest of the team is already in the underground shelter they'd constructed. Wind is tearing across the landscape, and the wave of changing landscape is sweeping closer. Vriré is standing near the mouth of the cave.

Koraw charges into the dusty wind, shouting. "Kapp!" Vriré moves to go with him, but at a signal from Koraw, she stays and keeps the way clear.

Kapp seems mesmerized by the dragon. He is staring at the dragon, ears erect. His companion, a stalker named Swift, is staring at Kapp with pleading eyes. A mental exchange is going on, though no one but the bonded pair knows it. Swift is trying to convince her companion to move.

"Kapp, come here! It's not safe out here, come on!" Koraw hollers over the wind as he reaches the hill that Kapp is standing on.

"Kralkatorrik," Kapp whispers. "The Elder Crystal Dragon."

"Yes, we know. Elder Dragon!" Koraw hollers in Kapp's ear. "Elder Dragon is going to try and kill us!"

"I'm not stupid, I know it's an Elder Dragon!" Kapp retorts. But he continues gazing at the dragon.

"Come with me!" Koraw shouts desperately. Ahead of them the rippling wave of _change_ is almost upon them. Desperately, he picks Kapp up and turns to run to the underground shelter where Vriré is still shouting over the wind, holding the door open for them.

Kapp shrieks in surprise at being picked up in that manner, but Koraw is already running for Vriré. Swift bounds along ahead of the pair.

The wind flings sand into Koraw's face, but he keeps going until he trips over a crate the team had left in their haste to get undercover. Kapp lands next to him, hitting his head on a rock. Swift is by Kapp's side in a moment, poking her, and looking at Koraw desperately. Swift glances back at the dragon's corruption racing towards them.

Koraw scrambles to his feet, tugging Kapp after him. But she is out cold, and therefore heavier to pick up. Kapp's head is bleeding.

Grunting, Koraw heaves Kapp up and over his shoulder, before charging through the wind. The ground changed under his feet, becoming smooth and shining. Then it contorts, twisting into impossible formations. Koraw stumbles, and Kapp gets hit in the head again. The blood trickling from Kapp's head has a faint purplish tint. Swift is down as well, but still conscious, struggling to keep her footing, and howling in fear. Koraw does not see the purple tint to Kapp's blood.

The uneven footing, the still-moving ground, almost prevents Koraw from climbing to his feet.

Vriré pushes through the dusty wind - it must be a sandstorm - in Koraw's direction. The twisted ground takes on a crystalline hue, and rocks violently, as if in a last, desperate attempt to shake the dragon's corruption. Vriré is thrown to the ground, as is Koraw. Kapp's eyelids bounce open, revealing glowing purple eyes for a brief moment. Swift is howling in terror and agony.

Koraw forces himself to his feet, carefully picking up Kapp. He hadn't seen her eyes. He moves slowly forward, checking his footing. But the ground has stopped moving. Koraw lunges toward the cave. Kapp stirrs in his arms.

Only a few feet separate Koraw from Vriré, and the wind has fallen deathly silent. Kapp's eyes flutter open, revealing her purple eyes again. Vriré is stunned. Corruption?

Koraw feels it the moment before it happens. A still wind, carrying corruption on it's wings, swoops down on him.

Koraw is frozen in fear, tail twitching madly.

The crystal tint to the wind gets under his fur, penetrates his skin. It coats his body in crystalline armor, and crystal shards pierce his brain, infecting his mind.

Vriré's eyes widen in shock as her best friend sprouts purple crystals from beneath his fur, his eyes take on a maddened, glaring gaze, and he ceases to be _Koraw_. Kapp drops from his arms, and he too is Branded. Swift howls in the deepest agony as her companion turns savage, charging at Vriré.

Vrire's dodges sideways. The wind springs up around her, carrying a sandstorm. Kapp cannot find her, and she stays low. Kapp turns to Swift, eyes glinting in madness.

Swift is howling madly. The empathic bond did not die, and Swift is feeling Kapp's mind raging in Branded servitude to Kralkatorrik.

Koraw finds her. No. Not Koraw. Branded. With a shrill cry, Vriré calls for her friend. "Koraw!" her voice takes on a desperate pleading note. Koraw does not listen, advancing on her with his dagger. "Koraw. Koraw. Please. Koraw. Come back. Come back to me. This isn't you. Koraw."

Koraw turns and runs away, but not before flinging the knife in her direction. He is running. But not from her. He is running after Kralkatorrik. Kapp goes after him. Other Branded are running along the purple scar.

Vriré lets out an agonized scream, mirrored by Swift's whimpers. " _Koraaww!_ "

"Vriré!" calls the sylvari mesmer on the team, Coira. "Vriré! Get under cover!"

Vriré turns and stumbles back into the shelter, Swift by her side. "Koraw... Koraw..."

Amru, the aloof human, understands. "I know how you're feeling, Vriré." he places a hand on her shoulder, giving her comfort.

"Koraw was a loyal soldier, a good friend," Rgair, another charr, mourns.

Swift howls, standing near the door.

"Swift has it harder than any of us," Coira admonishes the group. "Her companion was just corrupted by an Elder Dragon."

Swift howls again, a devastating, grief-filled cry. She curls in on herself, whimpering.

Vriré discovers that Koraw's thrown dagger had cut her hand. Remembering Kapp's purple-tinted blood, she examines the wound carefully, but the knife was not Branded.

Night falls, and Vriré sits outside the underground shelter, looking at the evil-seeming scar that had seared the landscape, forever sealing life below the surface where it crystallized, forever a testament to the power of the Elder Dragons.

"It happened so fast," Vriré whispers. "Too fast."

The team and Swift sit and watch the scar Kralkatorrik had left, now deathly still and silent. Their camp, but for the shelter in the ground, is in ruins from the small earthquake.

Later, Vriré discovers a scar where Koraw's knife had cut her. On the back of her right hand, the cut stetches from the base of her smallest finger to the left side of her wrist.

* * *

After Koraw's death, for a time, Vriré mourns Koraw. She holds her remaining friends close, but becomes a stone to anyone else. Vriré becomes a cold, hard warrior. She vows to see the Elder Dragons - in particular Kralkatorrik - dead, or die trying. The scar on her hand serves as a continual reminder of what she fights for.

Her skills, invaluable to the Order before, only get better as Vriré's resolve firms. Her friends - Drekk and Cirra - are pulled close, and become her family, outside of Whispers missions. She goes to Pierre DeGlasse and asks him how she can be better, and Pierre offers to train her. The year following Kralkatorrik's awakening was hectic for a lot of people, but for the Seraph it actually slowed somewhat, with families having second thoughts on going to join the Seraph. So Pierre has the time to train her one-on-one.

Vriré leaps at the chance, and Pierre trains her. It is brutal, but Vriré comes out of it stronger than ever, and with new friendship ties as well.

Over the next five years, she gains a reputation in the Order of Whispers for being quick, efficient, and brutal. She sharply keeps others reminded of their place in the hierarchy. When her friends ask why, she reponds that maybe if she had ordered Kapp to come back rather than asking and pleading, and if Kapp had known that she wasn't one to fool around with, she would have come sooner and Koraw wouldn't have died.

She advances so in the hierarchy of the Order by reputation, that she is one of those who take care of testing the new recruits.

* * *

In 1325, five years after Koraw's Branding, two sly humans enter the Chantry of Secrets, looking to become members.

They are promising. They work together fluidly, and show all the signs of becoming as ferocious a pair as she and Koraw had been. They are cunning and smart, although they do need some practice and training, Vriré knows they will do good in the Order.

She decides that she will be the one to mentor the pair, and although the final decision - if there is more than one trying to mentor them - falls to Tiffany and Fiona Tassof, she finds a way to get into their companionship. It requires her to shake her stern exterior for a brief time, but she is certain her endeavors will bring fruit.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

If you want to know more about the mentorship between Vriré and Tiffany and Fiona, read _Tyria's Real!?_... even though I haven't got there yet.

If you have any more questions about Vriré, feel free to ask!

When I explained the details of Vriré's warrior training, I was trying to work her build into how it would work. If you're confused, or just don't feel like looking it up as much, here's her build:

Specialization: Defense

Thick Skin - Cull the Weak - Adrenal Health - Armored Attack - Spiked Armor - Cleansing Ire

Specialization: Discipline

Versatile Rage - Warrior's Sprint - Fast Hands - Brawler's Recovery - Versatile Power - Burst Mastery (which isn't a Mastery, it's just the name of the trait)

Specialization: Arms

Furious Busrt - Opportunist - Deep Strikes - Blademaster - Burst Precision


	10. Chapter 10: The Blades of Fate

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary: Years after Mordremoth's defeat. The HoT crew, led by the Commander, faces off against the other three dragons: Jormag, Kralkatorrik, Primordus, and the unknown dragon in the deeps, known among the group as Maretimor. But the Elder Dragons are powerful, and, one by one, slay the Commander's friends and allies.

* * *

Chapter ten: The Blades of Fate

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

This is going in the one-shot collection, even though it is a two-shot. Oh well. (Edit: Nope! Just reeeally long chapter /rubs-her-hands-together-in-glee)

The name mentioned in the summary - Maretimor - for the unknown dragon, is based off my own research. 'Mordre' in Latin means 'to bite' or 'to encroach' but it is also similar to 'mordus' 'morde' and other words that have to do with death. Anyhow, 'Maretimor' is Latin for 'sea terror' which I thought fitting for an Elder Dragon.

Also, because 'Dragon's Watch' only includes some of the people I have to regard as friends, and because the name sounds kind of lame, I thought up another name. The new group includes the Commander, Rytlock, Logan, Zojja, Caithe, Canach, Taimi, Kasmeer, Marjory, Rox, and Braham. Basically Destiny's Edge + Dragon's Watch + Braham (because I heard he left Dragon's Watch).

This started out as an idea for after all the Elder Dragons are defeated, but um. I need to summarize what happened in-between Mordremoth and the start. So that's what this chapter is - 'recap the last however many years since Mordremoth, before we give you the real story.'

Edit as of partway through writing the chapter: Well, this is depressing.

Edit as of the end (which really should be in end A/N, but oh well): The whole story turned out to be the prologue... ohwell. (I say 'oh well' a lot, don't I?)

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"We can't cease fighting the Elder Dragons just because the Pact is crippled by Trahearne's death," the Commander says fiercely. "If anything, we should redouble our efforts - we can't lose anyone else. We won't."

Rytlock nods. "I've lost enough friends to the Elder Dragons that I won't stop no matter who is or isn't with me."

"I'm in," Braham agrees. "Every day we wait, somebody else - actively fighting the dragons or not - dies. We can't leave them to that."

"I'm sure the Rata Novus research will help a lot against Primordus," Taimi agrees.

"I'm afraid I'll have to wait for Countess Anise to give me permission or release my billet," Canach informs them, "but once that happens, I see no reason not to continue the fight."

"I've got nothing else to do," Rox shrugs. "I'll help you."

"We're in too, of course," Marjory asserts, gesturing to Kasmeer. "After all we've been through together, it would be a crime to leave you now."

Logan, Zojja, and Caithe are with Rytlock.

"First Snaff, now Eir," Caithe sighs. "To honor their memory, we will make a stand against the other dragons."

"What'll we name it?" Taimi wonders. "We can't just go around calling ourselves 'Destiny's Edge plus some others,' now can we?"

"Of course not," Canach snorts.

"Destiny's Edge... hmm." Braham mumbles.

"Oh, I get it!" Taimi brightens up. "A name that is almost just like Destiny's Edge, but using different words. What's another word for destiny?"

"Fate," Caithe suggests.

"Fate... Fate's Edge?" Rytlock harrumphs. "No way are we calling ourselves Fate's Edge."

"I quite agree," the Commander nods. "What's another word for edge? As in, edge of a blade?"

"Fate's Blade?" Rox suggests.

"How about Edge of Fate?" Braham suggests.

Zojja shakes her head. "No. It sounds like we're about to fall over the edge of a cliff to our deaths."

"Fate's Blade sounds nice," the Commander agrees, "but so does Fate's Razor."

"I will not be part of a guild called Fate's Razor," Rytlock snaps instantly.

"Fate's Blade, though," Logan nods. "It's fitting."

"But we don't all wield blades," Zojja points out. "Not even the Commander."

"I'm going to see if Caladbolg can be reforged," the Commander says quietly. "It deserves to see the last of the Elder Dragons fall. And it will serve as a reminder to all of us of what has been lost, what may yet be gained, and the lessons of the past."

"We're all going to be wielding legendary blades if this keeps up," Logan shakes his head. "Rytlock's got Sohothin, I have Dylan's sword, the Commander will be using Caladbolg, Marjory has her sister's sword..."

"Eir went after Magdaer shortly after the disaster that Caithe called a meeting in Lion's Arch," Rytlock offers.

"Fate's Blade is actually starting to sound like a viable name," Zojja says, almost as if she is surprised.

"And that's just blades," Braham adds. "I'm sure we all have special weapons. I have Eir's bow."

"Canach uses the Shield of the Moon," Caithe observes. Canach glares his signature glare at her.

"Yeah, I remember it doing some guardian-like shield thing inside Mordremoth's mind," the Commander recalls.

"I noticed Zojja started wearing Snaff's blue thing," Logan offers.

"Snaff's 'blue thing'?" Zojja asks indignantly. "I'll have you know there's gray powerstones in 'Snaff's blue thing.'"

Logan, Rytlock, and especially Caithe stare at Zojja in complete shock.

"Burn me, gray powerstones," Rytlock curses. "Gray powerstones, Zojja, gray powerstones!"

"Gray powerstones..." Caithe echoes hollowly.

"We're all idiots," Logan groans, smacking his forehead.

Taimi blinks for a moment. "Oh. You mean... _those_ gray powerstones? Zojja!"

"Can anyone explain what these gray powerstones are?" Braham sighs.

"Powerstones that blocked the Dragonspawn's mind from dominating us when we went to kill it," Caithe says softly.

Silence descends on the group.

"That's why it was... odd," Caithe whispers. "The powerstone tattoo. Mordremoth's voice was... confusing. More so than what other sylvari experienced - and my Wyld Hunt. It was..."

"At least we know it wouldn't have stopped Mordremoth completely," the Commander sighs. "If they did... well... the ways we could have used that."

"That's why the copies of Zojja we had to fight were telling us to kill them," Rytlock realizes. "The powerstones."

"What were we talking about before Zojja took offense at Logan saying 'Snaff's blue thing'?" Braham sighs. "Fate's Blade?"

"Well, maybe Fate's Powerstone is better," Taimi suggests. "Or maybe Snaff's Powerstone."

"I will not be part of a guild named after an asura," Canach says flatly.

"It sounds like we're inanimate objects," Rox agrees. "Fate's Blade? Or Fate's Weapon?"

"Fate's Shard might... nah," Braham thinks out loud. "Dragon's Fate?"

"Dragon's Destiny," Zojja suggests. "A remake of Dragonspawn's Destiny."

"Fate's Legacy," Marjory suggests.

"Legacy, now that's a good word to use," the Commander agrees. "But Fate's Legacy sounds... off."

"Legacy's Revenge?" Taimi wonders.

"If we wanted a really long one," Canach says sarcastically, "name it the Blade of Legacy's Revenge."

"Revenge of the Blade of Legacy would be even longer, but slightly less confusing," Kasmeer suggests.

"Would be a bit hard to insert into a battle cry," Braham observes. "I like Fate's Blade."

"Everyone likes Fate's Blade?" the Commander checks. "Then let's do that. Oh wait! Maybe the Blade of Fate. The Elder Dragons will meet the Blade of Fate."

Silence falls as each member tries to figure out which one they like better.

"Why not use it interchangably?" Taimi suggests reasonably, after a minute. "We could be Fate's Blade or the Blade of Fate, however you like to use it."

"Sure, why not."

"Yeah, good idea."

"Great."

"We're _still_ naming ourselves an inanimate object," Rox jokes. Braham rolls his eyes.

"No objections."

"Sure-fire way to strike fear into a dragon's heart." Marjory agrees.

"Literally _and_ metaphorically," Taimi chimes in.

"So, we're the Blade of Fate and it's pet, Fate's, Blade?"

"Now _that's_ a tongue-twister."

The Commander sighs amusedly. "Let's get back on topic. Now we've established that, the next question is, where and how do we start?"

* * *

Zojja falls first, her mind caught between Jormag and Primordus. The powerstone tattoo embedded on her from years ago glows a bright, blinding blue and explodes under the pressure, taking Zojja's only protection with it, not to mention distracting her.

"The last of Dragonspawn's Destiny is gone," Logan observes at her memorial. Her body had been consumed by battling Icebrood and Destroyers.

"Snaff, Eir, now Zojja." Rytlock shakes his head.

"And the first of Fate's Blade is gone, as well," Caithe sighs.

"I'm not sure we should rely on the powerstone tattoos at all anymore," Taimi observes. The Blade of Fate had all been tattooed with the powerstones. "They didn't help against any Elder Dragons at all - just the Dragonspawn. Unless there's a way to amplify it somehow..."

"I could try," Kasmeer offers. "Blending mesmer magic with Snaff's powerstones might help."

"And ley energy. And chak do things with ley energy, we should try that," Taimi agrees. "I bet the Rata Novans have equipment for manipulating ley energy."

"We still shouldn't rely on them," the Commander reminds.

"No, we should not," Caithe agrees. "They took Zojja, and didn't hold up under Mordremoth."

"These dragons are going _down_ ," Taimi says, her voice with an edge of steel to it. "They won't get away with Zojja's death."

"Or Snaff's," Rytlock agrees.

"Eir's," Caithe adds.

"Trahearne's," the Commander nods. "The dragons will _not_ get away with this."

* * *

Kasmeer dies next, halting in the midst of Kralkatorrik's lair, desperately searching out the mind controlling the visions of her that aren't her illusions. Trapped among the crystals, Branded find and turn her. Fate's Blade doesn't even find out until Marjory faces Branded Kasmeer on the battlefield, and, frozen in shock and denial, is slain, and Belinda's sword dropped on the battlefield to be taken by another Branded.

Marjory is then reanimated - Kralkatorrik had absorbed some of Zhaitan's power. The two lovers fight on against the Blade of Fate.

Fate's Blade puts them to rest soon after.

The Commander is almost vibrating with rage. "Kralkatorrik will _pay_ ," she snarls. "First Snaff, now Marjory and Kasmeer... let's drive the Blade of Fate into Kralkatorrik's heart."

"Onwards," Logan nods. "To victory."

"Or death," the Commander agrees.

This becomes the Blade of Fate's motto - to victory or death. They fall, one by one, to the dragons' corruption and, subsequently, their allies' Blades of Fate.

Taimi seems almost confined to Rata Novus, leaving sleep behind as she desperately looks for Primordus' weakness, or a way to amplify the gray powerstones, "or _anything_!" as she puts it. "Anything! Anything to take down an Elder Dragon."

Braham stays with her, fighting off the chak that come as Taimi's experiments involve more and more ley energy, alongside Scruffy 2.1. Scruffy 2.0 had been partially destroyed by chak once already.

Kasmeer's death means that the group can't use mesmer magic to amplify the powerstones, but Taimi finds out that chak can and will harness any and all magic, and convinces Braham to capture a live one.

The rest of the chak near Rata Novus sense ley energy being cycled through the captured chak, over and over again, and come in a swarm, overwhelming both Braham and Taimi and destroying all the contraptions in the dragon lab. Except the asura gates, of course. One of Snaff's other inventions, known as the 'hole-in-your-pocket,' had been utilized once the Blade of Fate had realized the potential for them. Chak find the portable asura gate that leads to Glint's Lair, the headquarters of Fate's Blade, alerting the Commander's team to problems.

After the chak meet the Blade of Fate, Fate's Blade then uses the same portal to get to Rata Novus, where they discover the bodies of Braham and Taimi.

Rox is in shock. Braham had been one of her closer friends, and, of course, could not get away without getting to know Taimi almost as well. Now both are dead. It seems her luck is against her; first her warband and Skewer, her first devourer, then Eir, Braham's mother, and now Braham himself, as well as Taimi.

Eir's bow truly becomes a weapon of legacy after their funerals; Rox wields the bow of her fallen friend. The same occurs of 'Snaff's blue thing' - Taimi had taken to it once Zojja died, and after Taimi's death, Rox manages to alter it enough to fit one of the larger races, namely Logan.

Caithe tries to lighten the situation - "at least it matches the guardian magic. Blue." But the joke falls flat.

The Commander finally gets the satisfaction of slaying Primordus - once they have him pinned down, he meets the Blades of Fate. Caladbolg, Sohothin - Marjory's blade conspiciously absent, which only serves to increase the Commander's ire - and Eir's bow are the weapons that slay Primordus, while protected from his flaming attacks by Canach, using the Shield of the Moon.

"For Snaff, Eir, Trahearne, _Zojja_ , Kasmeer, Marjory, Braham, and Taimi," the Commander snarls at the dragon, shaking in rage, before finishing Primordus with Caladbolg.

"You do know only Zojja on that list was actually slain by Primordus?" Canach remarks dryly.

"Doesn't matter. The Elder Dragons are all kin. What one does can be laid at the feet of another," the Commander replies with an angry huff in the dead dragon's direction.

* * *

As Fate's Blade turns it attention towards Jormag, with three Elder Dragons gone and two more to go, a repeat of the Great Tsunami happens, wiping out Lion's Arch _again_ , absolutely devastating the Grove, and rendering Rata Sum no longer a flying city, but a floating one, to the terror of the asura living there, and Orr is sunken again.

"The Six blast it!" the Commander howls. "Now Orr probably needs cleansing again! _Especially_ if an Elder Dragon makes it their domain!"

"Don't tempt luck," Rox warns. "It probably was an Elder Dragon's doing, anyhow. Zhaitan and Mordremoth's deaths sent shockwaves of power through Tyria, and Scarlet woke Mordremoth that way. I wouldn't be surprised if that's what woke up this dragon."

That turns out to be correct. The dragon of the deeps soon reveals its name to be Maretimor, and its favorite subjects of corruption appear to be krait and quaggan, although that is only figured out from what passes for speech from the corrupted krait and quaggan.

The corrupted monsters are large, flying orbs of water that possess the ability to sink into the ground and sprout vines to entangle their foes. Not to mention surrounding the head of their enemy and rendering them unable to breath, while projecting thoughts into their enemies' minds. The gray powerstone tattoos hold out the corrupted minions, and Fate's Blade doesn't even realize what the minions are doing.

The Great Tsunami 2, apparently, was not just from the rising of an Elder Dragon. It was also said Elder Dragon's first assault into Tyria, and the survivors of Lion's Arch and the Grove speak of 'the Water Bubbles.' The sylvari of the Grove are particularly explicit in describing what had happened with the thought-projection. 'They told me I was dying, that I would serve Maretimor, that my body would serve as the basis for humanoid Water Bubbles...' and of course these things only heighten the fear and panic of the moment. Which, when unable to breath, is absolutely _wonderful_ for staying alive in water.

But, it turns out that expelling the Water Bubbles mind also propels its physical aspect away, something that the sylvari do easily, remembering Mordremoth.

When Canach learns of this, he is particularly interested. "These blasted gray powerstone tattoos are blocking our means of survival should our heads by covered in these Water Bubbles," he complains.

"To the contrary, they probably prevent that situation in the first place," Caithe observes. "And it doesn't kill them. How do you kill water?"

After some discussion, the group try to capture some of the Destroyers left from Primordus' short-lived campaign to use against the Water Bubbles.

All that results in is a great deal of steam and two dead dragon minions.

"There's more Water Bubbles than Destroyers," the Commander sighs. "And this is very inefficient anyway. We can't keep transporting captured Destroyers to Lion's Arch to see if anything more happens."

"Why don't we work on getting the general population outfitted with the powerstone tattoos?" Logan suggests. "We might as well have the first line of defense on hand - none of us have been attacked by the Bubbles yet. And we should set some asura to researching them - we don't have any geniuses on our team anymore."

"Right," the Commander agrees tightly, remembering Zojja and Taimi.

"And if everyone is properly protected from the Bubbles," Rytlock realizes, "then we don't need to worry about them at all right now. Kralkatorrik and Jormag are still out there, doing who knows what while we figure out another Elder Dragon. We're no experts, and Priory Scholar Marjory is dead."

The Commander huffs. "What is the Pact doing right now?"

"Still rebuilding after Mordremoth's devastation." Logan supplies. "Most sylvari are angry at the Elder Dragons, and the Orders are recruiting more sylvari than ever. There's an increase in other racial volunteers, as well - an Elder Dragon killing the head of the Pact was a warning bell. But they're not ready to take on another dragon yet."

"We can't lose any more people. Each person's skills are vital to the Blade of Fate. But you're right - let's set up a team of asura to tattoo people - after Lion's Arch has been destroyed, a _protection_ would be very much welcomed. And we should work on tapping the Priory's knowledge."

Kralkatorrik is contemptuous of the Blade of Fate's attempts against him - Caithe had supported the idea that Snaff holding down Kralkatorrik's mind _almost_ worked, if not for the Branded.

The obvious idea is for either Caithe or Canach to take Snaff's place, as their minds had been fortified by Mordremoth's constant attacks; and it is decided that Canach, in particular, will do this, as he was more vulnerable than Caithe at that time, not having had a gray powerstone tattoo, as well as having gone into that dragon's mind himself, which Caithe had not done.

"Why not both of them?" Rox suggests. "The more people inside a dragon's mind, the better."

"And I'm sure it would take at least two people to equal Snaff," Logan agrees.

"The problem is the powerstone laurel - we don't have Glint anymore to place it on Kralkatorrik's head," Rox wonders.

"My magic," Rytlock says. "I can... teleport."

The Blade of Fate lures Kralkatorrik to Lion's Arch, giving Fate's Blade additional protectors - the Water Bubbles still avoid the powerstone tattoos, but the Branded will have to fight through any of Maretimor's minions that are around.

Fate's Blade lure the Water Bubbles among them, trapping them in a circle surrounded by the powerstone tattoos, forming a a bubble of Water Bubbles around Caithe and Canach for additional protection.

And then Kralkatorrik comes, preceded by waves of Branded, only a few of which get past the Water Bubbles wandering Lion's Arch, falling on the Blades of Fate defending the sylvari, whose eyes lose focus as they stare into space, battling Kralkatorrik's mind.

But then, the bubble of Water Bubbles surrounding the sylvari turn on Caithe and Canach - entering another Elder Dragon's mind, they had gone in direct counter to the powerstone tattoos, which spark a little and die.

By the time the rest of Fate's Blade realizes what is going on, both Caithe and Canach are dead. Their bodies, however, remain untouched by the corruption seen in other victims of the Bubbles.

And then Kralkatorrik truly arrives - his Branded swarming Lion's Arch and what remains of Fate's Blade.

Caladbolg glows as if in delight as it swoops back and forth through the dragon minions, cleaving them and shattering the crystalline monsters. Sohothin blazes and melts crystal where it touches, and Logan's blade, the legacy of his brother, bites the Branded apart, the steely edge razor sharp, and Eir's bow, which had grown powerful with its legend and legacy, keeps down the numbers of Branded facing those Blades of Legacy.

And then, of course, Kralkatorrik had to show some smarts. Branded enter Lion's Arch from the opposite direction, and none of Fate's Blade notices until Rox lets out an enraged roar, drops the bow, and turns on the Branded that had claimed the life of her companion, her last close friend since Braham and Taimi.

Rytlock snarls a loud "no, Rox! Stop!" before rushing to her side, picking up the Shield of the Moon on the way. "Rox! Stop! Do you want to die?" Rytlock manages to cover Rox with the shield before the Branded get to her, kneeling by Frostbite's body.

The Commander and Logan turn on Rytlock's cry, and the Blades of Fate retreat into the shield maintained by Rytlock.

"Rytlock, Sohothin works better against the Branded than my sword - I can hold the shield," Logan says, and Rytlock hands off the shield to Logan.

It flickers, but remains steady.

"How are we going to survive this?" the Commander wonders, as she looks on the Branded surrounding them, held off only by the shield. The Water Bubbles are being cleared out by said Branded, as well. "We deliberately lured an Elder Dragon here. It's probably somewhere up in the sky."

As if on cue, the Branded turn and clear out, and Kralkatorrik lands in front of the group huddled under the shield, twisting the immediate area into a lookalike of the Dragonbrand.

Rox's eyes seem to glow in rage and she charges forward blindly, desperate to kill the thing which had slain her companion.

"Oh, no you don't," Rytlock snarls. "Logan, where's the Dragonsblood Spear?"

"You get Rox, I'll handle this," Logan says determinedly, hefting the spear.

"I'll distract the dragon," the Commander agrees.

Rytlock teleports in front of Rox, who yelps in surprise. "Rox, don't be a fool!" Rytlock snarls, pulling Rox out of the way as Logan charges forward with the spear.

In front of Kralkatorrik, the ground ripples and changes as the dragon breaths corruption on the suicidal human.

Rytlock teleports in front of Logan with the Shield of the Moon before the blast reaches him. It shatters the magical, guardian-like shield, splinters the physical shield, causes Rytlock's powerstone tattoo to explode, and Brands Rytlock. It passes through the now-Branded charr and collides with Logan.

" _No_!" the Commander shrieks, and runs forward - but the blast did not touch Logan. The Dragonsblood Spear absorbs the full blast, even reversing it back to its source. The reversed power-wave shatters the Branded Rytlock, and stuns Kralkatorrik for about half a second, while Logan takes the last few steps and sinks the Dragonsblood Spear, still thrumming with Kralkatorrik's magic, deep into the dragon's heart, sending another shockwave of purified dragon corruption through it's body.

The Elder Crystal Dragon, Kralkatorrik, seizes up and freezes, the purified energy bouncing through it's system, before shattering, exploding shards of crystal throughout Lion's Arch, rendering it a wasteland, except for the six-foot-in-diameter circle that is Logan's guardian-shield, under which the Commander, Rox, and Logan are shielded. Even the bodies of Caithe, Canach, Frostbite and Rytlock are annihilated, and the Water Bubbles had all deserted the city when Kralkatorrik landed.

The Branded, on the other hand, are now mindless and wandering, much like the Risen, Mordrem, and Destroyers after their respective Elder Dragons' deaths.

In the Brand, a band of civilians attempting to cross it are able to survive due to the Branded's sudden lack of focus. The remaining Blades of Fate will never hear of that, but it makes the effort to kill Kralkatorrik that much more worthwhile. It is their whole reason for existence.

The remainder of Fate's Blade had closed their eyes when Kralkatorrik exploded, expecting every moment for Logan's shield to fail and themselves to be annihilated, but after a minute, they are sure they have survived the death of another Elder Dragon.

Looking around at the rubble that had been Lion's Arch, and the places where their friends had died, the group is in shock.

Logan doesn't notice anything. "Rytlock! No!" He falls to his knees, the guardian shield dropping, as he realizes that his closest friends are gone. All he has left is the Commander, Rox, and, of course, Jennah, but that doesn't matter right now. Rytlock is dead. "You didn't have to," he whispers. "The spear absorbed it. You didn't have to die."

The Commander and Rox are in shock.

"Pointless. So pointless," Logan continues. Nobody has to ask what he means. If shielding a companion with your own life is heroic, it all becomes pointless when said companion wouldn't have died anyway.

"There are... other Elder Dragons to kill," the Commander says after a minute. "Other Elder Dragons. They will pay. We three are the only ones left... we'll make it count. We have to."

The blast from Kralaktorrik exploding had annihilated the bodies of Caithe, Canach, and Rytlock, as well as the powerstone laurels the two sylvari had been wearing and their weapons. The Shield of the Moon is forever lost to Kralkatorrik's magic, and Sohothin had, luckily for its power, fallen inside of the shield Logan had erected when the dragon exploded.

To honor her friend, Rox takes up Sohothin and wields it in counterpoint to Eir's bow. "Jormag, then." she decides. "We're even less capable of taking on Maretimor now - and we at least know things about Jormag. And that asuran team we put to work tattooing everybody is very effective."

* * *

Sohothin proves invaluable against the Icebrood, particularly when near to Caladbolg - the two swords' auras merge and amplify each other, bringing Caladbolg to flame, and Sohothin several times moves of its own will in Rox's hand, saving her life.

Sohothin and Eir's bow, as well, enhance each other - Sohothin's flame burns brighter and hotter, like adding fuel to the fire, and any arrows discharged from the bow ignite, burning brightly.

When they finally get to Jormag's sanctum, the two blades melt the ice and Icebrood easily, and the three advance on, guarded by Logan's shield.

Jormag is waiting for them, and instantly goes for Logan, the only one without a flaming sword.

The Commander and Rox bar Jormag's path, standing close together; the swords are brought closer together than they have been before, at least in combat. The flame from Sohothin leaps to Caladbolg, igniting it as well, and the two flames feed off each other, growing brighter and hotter.

Logan sneaks around the side to behind Jormag while the dragon is mesmerized by the dancing flames. Even the Icebrood are still.

The silent confrontation stretches on as Jormag draws closer to flaming blades, still mounting exponentially in heat and intensity.

Suddenly, both blades dart forward as one, alive in the hands of the Commander and Rox. Caladbolg, the living weapon, remembers a time when a human and a charr would not have stood side by side if their lives depended on it, and Sohothin, brought to life through Caladbolg's aura, recalls a time when history changed because of a fight over the sword. The unity that the Commander and Rox working together brings only enhances the two swords' power - and the cavern, which had already been warm, mounts in temperature. Jormag, still entranced by the dancing flames (or is it the dragon's weakness? Flame and purity, life, as opposed to ice and corruption, death?) suddenly begins dripping. Melting.

Jormag snaps out of it and the Icebrood attack, but slowly, sluggishly, as if in a dream. They are melting even worse than Jormag.

But Jormag bolsters them with an almighty roar, puffing cold throughout the room, but the two swords together overcome, and just become stronger and brighter. Logan is in position to critically stike the dragon, and does so while the Commander and Rox lunge forward as well, the bonfire blades plunging into the dragon's heart.

In Hoelbrak, the Fang of Jormag begins vibrating violently, calling the attention of every norn (and non-norn) in that lodge.

As the norn population watches the Fang, it begins glowing with a fiery light, before bursting into flame and melting, making a puddle out of the tooth that the norn people had thought invincible for several hundred years.

Unfortunately, the Icebrood that Jormag had chosen to guard itself were slightly more sentient than most Icebrood - sentient enough to know to attack those that had killed their Elder Dragon.

Again, they all head straight for Logan - on the other side of the cavern. The Commander and Rox run to him, but his shield can only do so much against the Icebrood - it is not the Shield of the Moon.

By the time the Commander and Rox get there and clear out the Icebrood, Logan is not dead, but injured fatally. Even Rox's 'battlefield magic' that had once healed both Braham and Marjory aboard _the Breachmaker_ cannot save Logan.

As he draws his last breaths, he smiles. "Commander. Bring Jennah... Dylan's sword. Tell her... I killed another Elder Dragon... for her..." he pauses and coughs, spitting up blood. "Kralkatorrik." the guttural name with its sharp syllables sounds even worse coming from Logan's dying body. "Get... the last one... for me... Commander..."

"Logan, no!" the Commander says desperately, trying to heal her first friend. But it is too late. Logan is dying. "You can't die! We need you! I need you! I can't... I can't lose anyone else..."

As Logan's heartbeat slows and stops, the Commander resolves to see the last dragon dead, whatever the cost. She'd resolved, in a general sense, to see the Elder Dragons dead long ago. She'd already killed Zhaitan, was working on killing Mordremoth, and, of course, had plans to kill the other dragons as well, but Trahearne's death had left her with a legacy to fulfill. Logan's death leaves her specifically with the task to kill Maretimor.

"Let's fulfill his last wishes," the Commander says after a minute of mourning for her first friend. "Bring Dylan's sword to the Queen. I can do that. And then... and then we end Maretimor."

* * *

"Commander, the Queen has been ill the last few days," Countess Anise informs them, just outside the Queen's throne room. "But she knew you were coming. She wishes to see you... alone. Follow me." Countess Anise leads the last two of Fate's Blade into a side room, where Queen Jennah is waiting.

"Commander. And Rox - you were the Black Citadel's representative at the celebration I held in thirteen twenty-six?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Rox replies. "Logan sent us."

"I know what happened to Logan," the Queen says gravely. "I felt it through the bond we share. But... tell me. My heart will not believe it until you tell me it is true."

"Logan... fell to Icebrood, Your Majesty," the Commander says sorrowfully. "He helped us kill Jormag."

"It is as I feared," Queen Jennah sighs, her eyes downcast. "But I assume he sent you for some other purpose than to tell me of his death."

"He told us to bring you Dylan's sword, You Majesty," Rox informs her.

"Dylan Thackeray. A loyal captain," Queen Jennah nods. "I remember Logan taking the blade after he died. He sent you with his weapon?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Commander replies, handing the sword in its sheath to the Queen.

"Alas! Two great captains fallen to the Elder Dragons, when all that post entails is keeping the peace of Kryta," the Queen mourns. "But Logan... Logan knew what he was getting into. He slew a champion of Primordus in my name."

"He also told us to tell you that he dealt the first and last blow to Kralkatorrik as your champion," the Commander adds.

"My champion. Yes," Queen Jennah sighs in sorrow. "He sent word to me, previously, of the others of you group that died. And you are the only ones left?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Rox replies. "The Elder Dragons and insectoids known as chak in the Maguuma Jungle killed them. But Logan told us to kill Maretimor, and we will."

"We are Logan's champions now, as he was yours, Your Majesty," the Commander agrees.

"Tell me," Countess Anise says, speaking for the first time since entering the room, "about these powerstone tattoos."

"They protected Destiny's Edge from the Dragonspawn's mind, in thirteen nineteen, Countess," the Commander replies. "And they assisted Caithe in keeping her mind during the whole fiasco with Mordremoth. They preveted Maretimor's minions from bothering us, and we couldn't find a way to kill them, so we refocused our efforts on the other dragons. We had been going to experiment with amplifying them, because relying on them is how Zojja died, and they didn't hold up too well under Mordremoth. We were going to use mesmer magic to see if that would amplify them, but then Kasmeer died."

"Yes, I remember Logan writing about Lady Kasmeer's death." Queen Jennah says slowly. "And her death limited your search for ways to amplify the powerstone tattoos? You were going to use mesmer magic?"

"Yes, because the gray powerstones are designed to protect your mind from things. We thought, that since mesmer magic is so... mental, it might help. But then Taimi died, and I have no idea how they work or how mesmer magic might help, or anything like that."

"I see. And I can tell you don't want others studying them?"

"Not more than we have to. Zojja was a fiery brand - literally - about Snaff's discoveries, and if more than the basics of powerstones became discovered to Tyria, she'll burn us to ash when we finally get to the Mists. Given the death rate of our group, I'll be surprised if we survive the next dragon."

The Queen glances at Countess Anise, and the two seem to hold a silent conversation.

"Go then," the Queen says, after a moment, "and defeat Maretimor as Logan's champions."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the Commander replies, and she and Rox leave the room.

* * *

Lion's Arch, which had been rebuilt - "I wonder what the first Lion's Arch looked like?" the Commander comments - has a Pact outpost. There, they are told that Fort Trinity has been rebuilt along the Straits of Devastation, and that rock-sized gray powerstones have been set up around it - and gigantic ones along the Tarnished Coast - to keep the Water Bubbles out.

The Commander and Rox head to Fort Trinity, where they find that the Pact is trying to learn all it can about Maretimor, having been built up enough over the years since Mordremoth's defeat that going against another Elder Dragon is a viable option.

The asuran device known as a VOED - Very Old Energy Detector - has a modified counterpart that is much more sensitive, and will be able to pin down Maretimor's exact location.

The entire Pact is amazed at the gray powerstones, having never been able to just bypass a dragon's minions before. Of course, the whole Pact is in on the 'gray powerstone tattoo' thing, which means that plans for going against Maretimor don't need to factor in the minions.

* * *

Many months later, Pact ships - and airships - are sailing south, each ship outfitted with the modified VOED.

The Commander and Rox have figured out that 'Snaff's blue thing', now an ultra-legacy (it used to be Snaff's, then Zojja's, then Taimi's, Logan's, and now the Commander's) reacts with the other weapons, as well - Caladbolg, Sohothin, and Eir's bow.

Snaff's blue thing, being infused with gray powerstones, affects the 'living weapon' part of Caladbolg and now Sohothin, enhancing the sentience of the weapons. Before, they had acted on instinct to protect those who wielded them; now they understand the intricacies of swordplay. The magical power of Snaff's blue thing also enhances the fire of Sohothin and Caladbolg.

Being used against Jormag in the way they were, it seems that Caladbolg now flames on its own, and Sohothin retains the 'living weapon' aspect on its own, as well. Now, when the two are close together, and the Commander and Rox are battling something, the resulting magical storm that happens is spectacular... as well as only being dangerous to enemies of those who are using the weapons.

Neither Rox nor the Commander want to know what would happen if the two were used against each other - they have practically been forged and tempered in unity, and are twins now, despite being so different in make. When one is wielded alone, is is powerful. When it is wielded with its twin, the results are boundless, due to the exponential nature (pun intended) of the blades.

The Commander and Rox decide that their blades are now truly Blades of Fate - or the blades wielded by Fate, in which case, Fate's Blades.

"I am very nearly one with Caladbolg," the Commander says.

"Yeah. It is... special." Rox nods.

"More so than just being _Caladbolg."_

"I know what you mean."

"You feel the same way about Sohothin?"

"So _we_ are the Blades of Fate," Rox speculates.

"The blades are twins..."

"And we are twins with our blades."

"And they will go against Maretimor..."

"And end the dragon," Rox nods.

"I wonder what would happen..."

"If one person wielded both at once?"

"You know, if I die or something."

The Commander frowns. "They were forged in unity."

"When we faced off against Jormag," Rox recalls, falling silent.

"I could... _feel_ Caladbolg..."

"Feeding off my friendships and things."

"If the same person was..." the Commander trails off.

"Both weapons would..."

"Most likely not be nearly as powerful."

"Well, let's try not to let that happen."

* * *

Maretimor seems alarmed by the gray powerstons aboard the ship. The dragon tries to sink the ships, but the waves just veer to the sides, away from the powerstones. Eventually the ships do sink, but are inside a bubble of air.

The ships sink farther and farther down, pulled down towards the dragon still in the depths of the sea. There had been a definite southern border to Zhaitan's domain - the taint of corruption everywhere had suddenly stopped, and no Risen crossed the invisible line.

"Like the krait orb..." the Commander realizes

"Protecting Fort Trinity,"

"Maybe the krait orb..." Rox starts,

"Was Maretimor's magic?"

"Yeah!"

"I mean, it kept out Risen."

Suddenly, in dark depths of the sea, the water finally crushes in on the ships. The dragon itself is compressing its body - "Its _made_ of water?" Rox wonders, to which the Commander replies, "Mordremoth," - around the ships.

"Looks like - " Rox observes.

"We were right," the Commander finishes.

"We are going to -"

"Die to Maretimor," the Commander agrees.

But that is not to be. Caladbolg and Sohothin, pairing with the powerstone tattoos - "can _any_ magical artifact enhance these weapons?" - hold the water at bay, leaving two pockets of air in the depths, which suddenly expand to include any Pact soldiers nearby.

"They were - "

"Forged in - "

"Unity, and they - "

"feed off of it,"

"Of course they'd - "

"Help our allies."

Only a few Pact soldiers are in range of the bubble, though. Rox and the Commander close the gap between them - they'd been on opposite ends of the ship - and merge the air bubbles, both on opposite ends to lengthen the bubble.

The Commander glances around and notes that General Almorra is inside the bubble, and sighs in relief. She can't command the Pact troops as effectively as Almorra can.

But the nature of gravity means that they are pulled downward at an ever quicker rate - falling to the bottom of the bubble, but the center of the bubble falling to the bottom bringing the bottom of the bubble lower - until they hit the bottom of the endlessly deep ocean.

And Maretimor is pressing all around them. The Commander and Rox and the surviving Pact stand as close together as possible, to focus the Blades of Fate's power on a smaller bubble.

And then the dragon compresses itself and forces its way in through one point. A portion of itself, anyway - the size of one of its minions, it bulges through the side of the air bubble, hovering right there, still connected to the water outside.

Both Rox and the Commander realize that if they disconnect the dragon from the rest of the water, it might help them kill it. It's barely a plan, but it might work. Sohothin and Caladbolg are flaming, that should help.

Rox runs over to the bubble of water and puts Sohothin between it and the outside sea, cutting it off. A Pact elementalist throws a ball of fire at the Water Bubble, which evaporates.

"Keep - " the Commander starts.

"Doing that!" Rox finishes.

"What's going on with you two?" General Almorra asks. "Completing each other's sentences like that."

The two look at each other. "Oh. I - " Rox starts.

"Guess we were," the Commander agrees.

General Almorra huffs.

"Maybe it's - "

"Caladbolg and Sohothin - "

"Doing more of - "

"Caladbolg and - "

"Sohothin magic."

Meanwhile, the elementalists of the Pact are throwing fireballs at the water surrounding them. A low grumble shakes the ground.

"The dragon - " Rox notes.

"Isn't happy!" the Commander crows. "Keep - "

"Doing that!" Rox agrees.

General Almorra sighs and turns to her troops.

"Let's try - " the Commander suggests.

"And do the - "

"Thing we did - "

"With Jormag."

"Twins!"

"We're twins - "

"And they're twins - "

"That's how - "

"I know - "

"What you - "

"Are going - "

"To say."

"Let's do it."

Then, Maretimor tries to come through into the bubble again, and this time, instead of cutting it off, they attack it, the proximity of the Blades to each other building a fiery vortex, sparking off of each other, Snaff's blue thing, Eir's bow, and the powerstone tattoos to create a magical storm.

Quickly, the bubble of Maretimor is evaporated again, but this time the Commander and Rox attack the wall of water. As the Blades' power goes into the magical storm, the bubble collapses, to just Rox and the Commadner, and only a few guardian shields here and there keep the water out, and serve for places for the Pact soldiers to wait out the magical storm.

The two blades bounce pure power back and forth to each other, building up the storm. Maretimor is more powerful than any other Elder Dragon ever - it had absorbed power from all of the Elder Dragons as they died.

The Commander merges with Caladbolg, and her fury at Maretimor on behalf of all her friends slain at the hand of an Elder Dragon powers Caladbolg to new heights of magical potency.

The same happens to Rox and Sohothin, and the four living Blades spark off each other, building up power. Caladbolg draws from its long history - the living weapon had delighted in unity, and draws power from the uniting of the three Orders, the solidifying of this as the Pact, the stalwart solidarity of the Pact against Mordremoth's tactics of distrust, the formation of Fate's Blade, witnessing Rytlock's death for Logan, and many others, not to mention the bond with Sohothin.

Sohothin pulls power from destruction, rather than unity - and yet the two opposite personalities of the swords merge. Sohothin is fire and destruction, and delighted in the downfall of the Dragonspawn and Morgus Lethe, not to mentionIcebrood, Risen, and Mordrem. Sohothin had absorbed a lot of Kralkatorrik's shockwave when Rytlock died. By Rox's hand the sword had drawn power from its new bond with Caladbolg, from Jormag and Icebrood, and even the last few Water Bubbles Rox had evaporated.

The two swords pull on these yet-untouched reserves of power, and the magical turmoil is seen from as far away as Orr, and even Lion's Arch, for the careful observer. It manifests itself as a heavy stormcloud over the place Maretimor resides, a stormcloud that just grows bigger and bigger as Maretimor fights the power of unity and destruction turned against a common foe.

Maretimor revolts, reflecting the magic back at it's own source, much like the Dragonsblood Spear had from Kralkatorrik. But the nature of the Blades' magic turns the trap around, instead doubling the magic already being coursed through the Blades, feeding it through the connection and back out at Maretimor.

But Rox cannot channel this level of magic. Of the four living beings channeling such magic, in her lifetime, she has used the least. Being charr and anti-magic helped, but also, the Commander had had a lot of experience with Zephyrite crystals, not to mention Glint's egg. Which never had hatched, curiously enough.

But in whatever capacity, it stands to reason that the Commander and Rox are on the weak end of the power-channeling spectrum, with Sohothin and Caladbolg being on the infinitely strong side. And of the Commander and Rox, Rox can't channel as much.

In the middle of the swirling whirlpool that is Maretimor, next to the Commander, Rox seizes up, the magic flowing through her effectively shorting out her body, to use asuran terms. Her heartbeat stops, her brain stops functioning, and she stops breathing.

The Commander feels a sudden... _absence_ , for lack of a better word, in the four living Blades. Her emotions had gotten so twined up in the Blades she had ceased to be conscious as the Commander.

But Rox's death brings her back to herself. The sudden doubling of magic had surprised her, too, especially when the Blades had turned it around at Maretimor again, but Rox...?

The magical storm ends, and all that remains is a lone bubble of air surrounding the Commander and Caladbolg, and the fiery glow of Sohothin in the murky water merely a pace or two away. Silence, deathly silence.

Caladbolg responds to her subconscious wish, and the bubble expands to show Rox's body, still twitching from the afteraffects of the magical overload.

"Rox?" the Commander says, and her voice echoes inside the air bubble. Conspiciously silent. Since its reforging, Caladbolg had been humming at the back of her mind, a hum that rises to a roar when used in the way she'd just used it. Also humming there, once Sohothin and Caladbolg became twins, had been Sohothin, the two Blades calming her. She knows Rox had experienced the same thing, as she had felt Rox there, too, much fainter, but there, especially near the end. She hadn't really noticed the Blades or Rox - they were just _there_ \- but now she feels a conspicious absence.

But now, Rox is gone. The Commander had gotten used to Rox being with the other two in the back of her mind, providing subconscious support, and she had grown used to knowing that she had a presence in Rox's mind as well, as did Caladbolg and Sohothin. The four Blades really had been one.

And now Rox is gone. It is an empty silence. "Rox? Rox, tell me you're in there!" the Commander cries desperately. "Rox! _Rox!_ "

The only answer is Sohothin's mournful wail in the back of her mind. The Commander falls to her knees before Rox's body in shock.

Caladbolg hums at her. The Commander looks around. There is nobody. Not even those guardian shields that had contained the Pact soldiers.

Just outside the bubble, she sees the bodies of the Pact soldiers floating by.

"The magical battle must have ripped the shields apart," the Commander realizes out loud. "The whole Pact... gone like that. So quickly."

No answer but for Caladbolg and Sohothin's mournful humming.

"There weren't very many Pact left at Fort Trinity. They all came on the ships, and most of them died when the intial bubble collapsed. Now... the whole Pact... just gone."

Silence.

The Commander remains at the bottom of the sea, mourning her companions, for several hours. She had taken her grief at other friends dying and put it into destroying the Elder Dragons, her main goal in life, especially once Trahearne died, seven years ago, and now? Now she has nothing to redirect the intense emotion into, and nothing to _do_. She feels like a sylvari whose Wyld Hunt has ended, and has nothing else to do. Ever. Trahearne had completed his Wyld Hunt, but still had his duties as the Marshal of the Pact, and a new goal - defeat the Elder Dragons.

But what goal more important than that? Keeping the peace, most likely; stopping wars and the like, but with the Pact gone, and no real reason to start it again, with the Elder Dragons gone... well.

So, with no _purpose_ to redirect grief into, the Commander mourns her friends at the site of the last Elder Dragon's destruction.

Eventually, after maybe a day, but with no way of knowing, in the depths, the Commander picks up Sohothin. Rytlock is dead. This is Rytlock's blade, or had been for most of the time she had known of the blade. But moreso it is Rox's blade. Rox's, and Rox's alone. Rox has nobody to pass the sword to, like Logan had passed Dylan's sword to Queen Jennah. Rox doesn't have somebody like that.

But the Commander. The Commander would have entrusted Caladbolg to Rox if she had been the one to die; and she just _knows_ Rox would want her to have Sohothin.

But what would she use the blade for?

"I can exterminate all the minions." she says aloud. "They're still a threat. Right? I'll end the menace of the Risen, Branded, Mordrem, Destroyers, Icebrood, and Water Bubbles."

She slings Sohothin on her back, crosswise to Caladbolg - Trahearne's weapon. She'd always identified it as Trahearne's weapon, but recently it had become hers. ' _No. It's Trahearne's weapon. His legacy. Like Snaff's blue thing. Eir's bow. Belinda's sword. Dylan's sword. Always referred to by the original owner. Caladbolg is Trahearne's.'_

Caladbolg seems to huff at her mentally.

' _It's the last of him I have left! Even the Pact is gone, now, and everyone I ever knew who also knew him. Caladbolg is all I have left of him._ '

But, nonetheless, she feels as if Caladbolg is her Blade. The same as Sohothin is no longer Rytlock's blade, but Rox's.

Eir's bow, still on Rox's back - not used much since Rox took up Sohothin. Eir's bow. From Eir to Braham to Rox, and Rox died.

The Commander knows she would have entrusted Snaff's blue thing to Rox if it had been the other way around. The bow should be Braham's. But Braham is dead, as well, and Eir had no other relations. The Commander certainly won't entrust the bow to a random norn in Hoelbrak who might claim relation.

But it is quite impossible to wield just two greatswords at once, never mind adding a longbow to the list.

' _We'll figure it out,_ ' the Commander thinks, unconsciously referring to herself and the Blades as 'we'.

* * *

She brings Rox's body back to Fort Trinity, and informs the lead Pact officer there what happened - the dragon is dead, the Pact is gone - before heading to the headquarters of Fate's Blade.

Where the others are buried, or at least have memorials standing for those whose bodies were consumed.

The three Blades bury Rox, taking solace in each other for comfort.

' _I'll never be alone, so long as I have Caladbolg and Sohothin with me,_ ' the Commander realizes. ' _Never alone._ '

She would have buried Rox with Sohothin - Sohothin is Rox's sword, and it seems like a charr thing to do - except _Sohothin_. Sohothin doesn't deserve to be buried out of sight for ever - Sohothin is not dead.

Even Snaff had been buried here. Zojja had cremated him after his death, and buried his remains beneath the floor of his workshop, but she had moved him here when Fate's Blade had been founded, and Eir and Trahearne had been brought here as well.

"The legacy of Glint to Destiny's Edge to Fate's Blade," the Commander says softly. "And it will end with me."

Quite soon, she realizes that she should tell Queen Jennah that her task as Logan's champion has been completed. Really, Queen Jennah is the only person left at all. The sort of person who would have been honorary Destiny's Edge member if Rytlock hadn't been so antsy about it back around the time of Snaff and Glint.

* * *

She travels to Divinity's Reach, but really does not feel like being approached and congratulated by every last citzen of Kryta, so she covers Sohothin and Caladbolg and wears a hood.

Countess Anise seems to recognize her instantly, though, and nods toward a side room, before figuring some excuse for the Queen to leave her throne room for a short while.

"Commander," Queen Jennah says. "Where is your friend, Rox?"

"Dead," the Commander replies quietly. "Dead, and a part of us with her. But Maretimor is no more. We will find another purpose."

"Us? We?" Countess Anise queries.

"Caladbolg and Sohothin. Living weapons, and sentient."

The Queen nods. "I understand. But the Countess and I have discovered some... troubling rumors about you. And I fear they are true. What happened to the Pact?"

"Gone. All gone, save for those who remained at Fort Trinity. Maretimor sank the ships." the Commander did not feel like explaining more. It was unbelievable even to her, at times. "What do you mean, rumors about me?"

"Are there any capable Whispers Agents at Fort Trinity?" Countess Anise asks. "We should get someone to investigate. If the rumors are true, then you need to disappear from public knowledge."

"Why?" the Commander asks. "No, don't bother answering. My mind has been filled with confusing things recently, and I need time to think over them all, not new things. I'll see if I can find a capable Agent."

"Be careful," the Queen urges.

The Commander nods. "I will. If I find an Agent, they will come with the code. 'A sword flames and a sword lives.'"

With that cryptic comment, the Commander leaves the room.

* * *

She goes first to Lion's Arch using a hole-in-your-pocket to the Pact outpost, and speaks to the Priory Magister there. She learns that there aren't any Whispers Agents in the city yet, so soon after its rebuilding and the attack on Maretimor, but she does have the same cryptic warning that Countess Anise and Queen Jennah gave.

The Commander goes to Claw Island to take a ship to Fort Trinity, but, when there, a charr that she recognizes as Evon Gnashblade, the head and founder of the Black Lion Trading Company, approaches her.

"The Captain's Council has voted you guilty," he says without preamble.

"Guilty of what?" the Commander sighs.

"Killing Primordus."

The Commander would have burst out laughing - she needs an excuse to laugh, and it really is absolutely ridiculous! - at the ridiculous statement, if Caladbolg and Sohothin hadn't thought there was some point, that it means something.

"And since when is killing an Elder Dragon a crime?" the Commander asks.

"Since it woke up an even bigger Elder Dragon that destroyed Lion's Arch - _again_. It's not a crime, per se, but you still have to pay for the entire rebuilding of Lion's Arch."

"And if I don't want to or don't have that kind of money?" the Commander speculates, amused at watching Gnashblade squirm under her questions. He obviously hadn't expected her to be this... ignorant.

"Then the people of Lion's Arch will have your head," Gnashblade responds promptly.

The Commander waits for the punchline, but none comes. "Is that a joke?"

"I don't joke, particularly about things of this big a magnitude."

"Should've known," the Commander sighs. "So, if I didn't loot enough gold off the six Elder Dragons I've killed - because, you know, killing the dragon that destroyed Lion's Arch obviously isn't payment enough - I say, if I didn't loot enough gold from the Elder Dragons, I die?" Sohothin is humming at her in delight for the way she employs the use of sarcasm and subtle probing and guilt tripping.

"Hey, this isn't my opinion. I'm just the messenger."

The Commander huffs. "Well, I am certainly not paying for the rebuilding of Lion's Arch, Gnashblade, so, if you'll excuse me that I don't believe your flat joke, I'm heading to Fort Trinity. Find some Whispers Agents, you know, to figure out what's going on here. Maybe you'll catch me on my way back if you're _really_ serious about it.

"Lionguard," Gnashblade says. "This civilian is resisting arrest."

"Civilian?" the Commander replies, highly amused.

"If you aren't Lionguard or Captain's Council, you're a civilian. In Lion's Arch, anyway."

"You're telling us to arrest the Commander of the Pact?" one of the Lionguard nearby asks skeptially. "Sorry, I'm afraid I'll have to decline."

"What does Captain Magnus the Bloody-Handed have to say about this?" the Commander queries.

"Ah, and now we get to the crux of the issue," Gnashblade nods. "He was killed when the city was overwhelmed because of your dragon-slaying. As was Captain Ellen Kiel. And _that_ is why half the city wants your head. And they want it whether you pay up or not. I don't particularly care about that part - but so far, the money for rebuilding has come straight out of my pocket."

The Commander nods. "Yes. I believe I understand now. No, really, I do. I'd want the same thing, if I was one of them and one of them was me. And I would want the same thing if I were you and you were me. But still, I'm afraid I have to decline. I do not particularly want to give up my head. And if I did, I can assure you that the Blades of Fate would have something to say about it. They would be _so_ enraged - I mean, the other fourth of our quartet has been slain by Maretimor. Fate's Blades have so much power now, I wouldn't be surprised if they mutated into being capable of wielding themselves if you killed me. Now, that would be terrifying. But I'd rather spare them the chance; so good-bye. Catch me if you can!"

The Commander turns around and heads for the ship that had been waiting, while Gnashblade tries to figure out what she'd just said.

"Good luck, Commander," one of the Lionguard salutes. "The Captain's Council may have forgotten about you and Marshal Trahearne saving Lion's Arch from Blightghast the Plaguebringer all those years ago, but we have not."

"Thank you for your confidence, Lionguard. But don't profess your loyalty here - you might lose your jobs."

"Lionguard isn't a job, Commander. It's a duty to our people," another says as she casts off from the island. "A duty that is not terminated by supposedly not being a member of the Lionguard anymore."

"Keep up that attitude, and Tyria will never fall, even to corrupt government," the Commander salutes as the ship sails away. "I'm afraid I won't be able to fulfill such a duty anymore - not with the Captain's Council after my head. They're a rather influential governing body, if you didn't guess."

The Lionguard on the dock laugh and wave. "Hope to see you again someday, Commander!" one calls as the ships sails out of earshot.

' _I'm guessing that Queen Jennah's 'worrisome rumors' turned out to be true,_ ' the Commander thinks. ' _I'll head to Fort Trinity and inform them of my status as outlaw from Lion's Arch and send a messenger to Queen Jennah, and then I think I'll... hmm. I should really find a way to carry on the legend of Fate's Blade. That means Hoelbrak, at least for a little while._ '

As the Commander of the Pact sails away from Lion's Arch in 1335, ten years after the title had been given to her by a close friend, she also leaves behind a Tyria that will know peace. She never really cared about fame; not particularly. But she understands the way norn feel about their legends - and she is determined to carry on her friends' legends, if not hers.

* * *

Queen Jennah opens a letter addressed to _Queen Jennah of Kryta - A sword flames, and a sword lives, and the triad will not fade from legend._ '

The Commander's saluting line - at least to those she knows well - greets the Queen's eyes, and she smiles.

 _Spokesman of the Blades of Fate:_

 _Jennah, I am sorry it has been so long since I have last written. A lot has been happening in the last year or two. And yes, that is a long time to wait to write; but I have heard of troubles in Kryta, and you probably were too busy to miss me much. But those things can wait; I will catch you up on the more mundane things first._

 _I read your last letter aloud to Logan - no, don't laugh, I know you think I am going crazy, still reading letters to a grave after four years, but I am quite certain he is watching over me and you, from the Mists. Unless he is still too busy berating Rytlock about dying for nothing. You know Logan._

 _Caladbolg thinks I'm crazy too, but I don't think he means it. That might be slightly confusing, so let me explain. If you recall, I went to Hoelbrak in 1335 - four years ago - to spread the legend of Fate's Blade, and rather soon, I found myself besieged by Sons of Svanir. In mockery of them, I and some protesting norn formed the Daughters of Jora, as you know, and proved that their Spirit of Dragon is dead. Of course, we were wrong; Glint's egg still hasn't hatched, and the Spirit is still alive. So the Daughters of Jora got some real combat experience, from the powerful constuct the Sons summoned, but Caladbolg and Sohothin still needed to pool their powers to defeat the thing. We went all-out in that one, too - we forgot our surroundings just like when we defeated Maretimor. Caladbolg and Sohothin are now as sentient as you or I, not that they weren't before, but they seem to have more personality now._

 _The Daughters of Jora decided that, even though the Sons of Svanir are quite gone, the Daughters will continue to exist; they don't want another organization taking it into their heads that women are weaklings. I know you agree with me. But the problem with the Daughters continuing to exist is that they want me to continue to lead them; and while normally I would seize this opportunity to do something, I feel like I would prefer a quiet life, divided between Stonewright's Steading and Glint's sanctuary. I instructed them on how to support themselves from within, but have not had sufficient time to check up on them recently._

 _Speaking of Stonewright's Steading, I have decided to take up the discipline of carving statues; I have been told by numerous people that I'll never sculpt as well as Eir did, and while I may have once thought that I would never be as great as Eir in that area, instead I decided to see it as a challenge. It takes my mind off other things, and allows me to honor Eir._

 _I'm still not too profiecient at it, but both Caladbolg and Sohothin are helping me; they will combine their power and help me do it, as the Spirits of the Wild once helped Eir._

 _So, like I said; Caladbolg thinks I'm going crazy. Sohothin is reserving judgement; he remembers Rytlock fighting as many Ascalonian ghosts as dragon minions, and who knows, maybe Logan's hanging around as a ghost somewhere. I doubt it, though. Only victims of the Foefire ever became ghosts; them and the Seraph at Fort Salma._

 _Speaking of the Seraph at Fort Salma, I recovered Belinda Delaqua's sword from a nest of Branded I raided in the last few months. Did I ever tell you that Belinda fused her ghost with the sword? It doesn't sing to me the way Sohothin and Caladbolg do, or indeed have any connection with me at all, but I do know that Belinda is in there. She can go to the Mists whenever she likes; but I think she enjoys being trapped inside a sword. Perhaps it's because she shares Marjory's Priory nature and is interested in the Blades' sentience. These things I know because Sohothin told me - apparently there's such a thing as sword-language. I am not going to attempt to decipher it, but I am curious._

 _I wish you well, Jennah, and hope you don't mind my long silence. I'm quite sure Logan sends his regards, as well. I would visit in person, but I've never been able to figure out a replica of Snaff's portable asura gate invention, and I don't know how to tune it to another gate._

 _However, if you send word in advance and come to Hoelbrak, I can meet you there and bring to Glint's sanctuary. There has been a movement among the norn that echoes Lion's Arch; Magnus the Bloody-Handed was a norn, and had quite a legend. The problem is, I am quite sure that if I offended the norn that way, I may have offended Kryta, as well; at least the general public - because Ellen Kiel was human. And the same goes for Ascalon; I'm sure Evon Gnashblade is angry at me, and you know how that sort of thing goes. Gnashblade is the head of the Black Lion Trading Company. That leaves asura and sylvari; and I am not sure I could offend the sylvari, what with having been close friends with three very influential sylvari. I have also opened communications with the Pale Tree, beyond informing her of Caithe and Canach's deaths in 1333, which I deeply regretted not being able to inform her in person of._

 _The asura think I am nuts for keeping the last of Snaff's legacy from them - I think they're just restless. They haven't had a proper genius among them since Taimi died. And that's another thing I wish I could do - reform the Snaff Savant tournament and look out for promising young inventors. There's so much I am limited in by being outlawed from Lion's Arch. And also, I am glad. I really want to settle down with Caladbolg and Sohothin in Glint's sanctuary and just remember the past. The present is just so much more alone than it used to be, and the future is not looking any brighter._

 _And this is how my letters tend to run on; I begin to say goodbye, make a parting comment, and then become interested in that comment and expound on it and explain details. I shall try to desist, however, and bid you farewell._

 _The Spokesman of the Blades of Fate has spoken; a sword flames, and a sword lives, and the triad will not fade from legend._

"She does well at keeping tabs on the world," Countess Anise observes. "How she knew about the White Mantle causing trouble in Kryta I'll never know. I think you should take her up on her offer."

"Go to Hoelbrak?" the Queen asks, slightly surprised. "And draw the attention of the world there? Why on earth would the Queen of Kryta go to Hoelbrak?"

"Ah, but the Queen of Kryta would not go to Hoelbrak. Do you forget our shared area of experise? I'm beginning to think you really should get out of Divinity's Reach more. And the same expertise could be used to bring her through Lion's Arch unnoticed."

"And she wanted to stay alone, too," the queen sighs. "I think she is growing old too fast; quiet and reflective and taking on mostly an advisory role, as elders are wont to do. But bright young women of her age normally don't see the amount of death and suffering as she has; having someone as bound to you as she was to Rox, only to have them ripped away through the use of that said bond, would only amplify her suffering."

* * *

 _Spokesman of the Blades of Fate:_

 _One of the Daughters found a lost child of no more than two years out in the wild, cold and all scratched up from brambles and even a bite from some wild animals. I think the Spirits must have her protected. Yes, I know, I am beginning to sound like a norn._

 _But this child. I think I could raise her to the legend of Fate's Blade, and perhaps lead the Daughters in my place. They really need a proper leader, and I don't feel cut out for that._

 _I don't know how I will go about raising a child, but I can try. The legend of Fate's Blade shall live on; and perhaps the Blades of Fate will even bond with little Laura. I am old, Jennah, if not in actuality, then in emotion and mind, I am old. I am tired, and ready to join my friends in the Mists. The Blades might even join me, but they are the Blades of Fate for a reason, and I don't want them leaving Tyria to its own devices. I have been limiting them as it is, to this side of the Shiverpeaks, and I think they deserve more. Laura will be a steadfast Spokesman for them, and capable of traveling the world without an outlaw's decree hanging over her head._

 _Speaking of that, in the last three years the norn have only gotten more antsy about me; already one team of norn has tried to capture me and bring me to Lion's Arch. Knut Whitebear and the Wolfborn put them down hard, of course, when the Daughters informed them, but most of the crowd was against the ruling, I could tell._

 _As a result, I have begun spending more and more time in Glint's sanctuary, raising little Laura. The Blades are excited about her, and already are trying to communcate with her. I think they're lonely._

 _The Pale Tree has been keeping me quite up-to-date with the happenings of Tyria on that side of the Shiverpeaks; being the keeper of the Dream, she has many memories of such events to keep me promptly updated. I hear your White Mantle problem disappeared as soon as the last of the mursaat, Lazarus the Dire, came anywhere near to one of the gray powerstones scattered all along the Tarnished Coast. Apparently the magic of the mursaat conflicted to heavily with powerstone, and set off a chain reaction through all gray powerstones, exploding but sending their power into the mursaat and overloading him. Can't think of a better riddance._

 _I traveled to Tarir recently to find out why the egg is not hatching - when I borught the egg there I was supplied with a portal to take me there any time - and the Exalted told me the egg had withdrawn its choice. It did that only two months ago, but the Exalted made a ceremony out of it, declaring the exact date and everything - 20 Phoenix, 1343. They begged me not to be offended - they do that a lot, as I recall - but I am certain the egg is waiting for Laura to claim it. Then she truly will be a legend._

 _The Spokesman of the Blades of Fate has spoken; a sword flames, and a sword lives, and the triad will not fade from legend._

"She is just like every mother I have ever seen," Countess Anise observes. "The whole letter, she hardly went a whole paragraph without mentioning her Laura."

The Queen nods. "She has a good source of information in the Pale Tree and the Dream. She seems more lively, too."

* * *

 _Spokesman of the Blades of Fate:_

 _Laura is now a healthy girl of six, and already chattering away to Caladbolg and Sohothin, who were getting lonely. She is almost as tall as me, already - she is norn, you know - and I am just glad the Blades hold her in check, or I would never be able to train her properly. She is an expert at wielding the Blades, as well, and I think they purposely make themselves lighter for her. They can do that, and it feels terribly odd when I am the one wielding them._

 _But Laura is already learning how to move with the Blades. I think she'll be the best swordswoman in all of Tyria, having been raised from a young age to such intellgient blades. She'll be better than I, and all of us know it. Except her. Can't have her getting all big-headed and asura-like, you know. Sohothin thought that comparison was absolutely hilarious - he was thinking of Zojja, especially back before Snaff died. Caladbolg did the sword equivalent of rolling his eyes._

 _But Laura will be a true legend; one that won't soon be forgotten. And as her legend remains in the history of Tyria, she will pull the legend of Fate's Blade after her, less known but not forgotten. It is a fitting tribute to my friends._

 _Having Caladbolg and Sohothin bonding with her at such a young age means their bond will go further than ours ever did. I have high hopes for my Laura._

 _Jennah, you do not know how wonderful it is to raise a child. I only wish she had siblings; but then, the Blades have been acting like children over her. And Sohothin just told me indignantly, 'I'll have you know I'm older than the years!' and it's true. I didn't know it before, but Sohothin used to be Balthazar's sword, if you can believe it. But he's still acting like a preteen. Probably because of Caladbolg's influence. Oh, this is so hilarious. Now they're fighting over which one of them is actually older. I did say that about Caladbolg on purpose to do that, you know. And now they're death-glaring me. Or would be if they weren't swords. Oh, you have no idea how hilarious they are, for having such a fancy title as 'Blades of Fate' or 'Fate's Blades'. I should really stop transcribing their conversation and my opinions, or this letter will last forever._

 _The Spokesman of the Blades of Fate has spoken; a sword flames, and a sword lives, and the triad will not fade from legend._

"I wish I could meet these Blades sometime," Queen Jennah says, amused.

"They have a playful attitude, but, from what she says, are quite wise and knowledgable, not to mention powerful." Anise agrees. "And she herself seems more hopeful and energetic. Perhaps she will travel Tyria once more with the girl."

"That would indeed be a reason for happiness," Jennah replies.

"Such a legend roaming Tyria would mean all of us sleep safer," Anise agrees. "She has become a legend in the eyes of the people; for near fifteen years she has not shown her face anywhere but Hoelbrak, and only once or twice the Black Citadel. And yet she slew the Elder Dragons with only the help of a hero who perished."

"Tyria does not know the role the Blades of Fate played," Anise sighs. "They are aware of the Blades, of course, but their level of power that was relied on for their defeat..."

* * *

 _Caretaker of the Blades of Fate:_

 _You may have noted my change of title from Spokesman to Caretaker. This is because I am no longer the Spokesman - Laura is. Let me tell you of her._

 _Laura is now a strong, healthy girl of eleven. I took her to Tarir a week ago to see if Glint's egg reponds to her touch, and it lit up the skies more than it did when it chose me - and it annihilated the last remnants of the Mordrem that vengeful sylvari didn't already get. I am confident she will become a true legend._

 _And the Blades' bond! They are sharing memories, something I never got so far as. And she did that without even starting the magical storm that happened when we killed Maretimor. She truly is a promising child, not to mention taller than me. They have started calling me 'child' and 'young' - even Laura! It is more amusing, for all of us, than insulting, and I generally reply with 'yes, I am young - I'm a year younger than Caladbolg, and he's fifty-two.' Which sends us all into giggles, because Sohothin likes saying how he's more like eleven thousand and fifty-two, having been Balthazar's weapon since he stepped into Tyria, around seven hundred BE. It's funny, you know. I think Sohothin is turning into a pre-Snaff's-death Rytlock. At least, that's Laura's opinion, and she knows more about that time than I do._

 _I'm not raising Laura any more so much as... well, nothing. I'm bored, now. I never even had to school her, because having your mind bound up with a sword that is near thirty years older than you imparts subconscious knowledge. It just does._

 _And Laura is as good with the Blades as I am, now, so I don't even have a protector role anymore. I don't even hear them humming in my mind the way they used to - not all the time. Caladbolg is my mind more than Sohothin, and Caladbolg is whom I wield. When there's anything to wield him against. Glint's lair is pretty secure._

 _I'm adrift without purpose, and I spend most of my time talking to the graves of my old friends, especially Trahearne and Rox, closely followed by Logan. They were the closest to me, before the Blades, and I'm just waiting for Grenth to come claim me._

 _But I also don't want to leave Laura. Death changed me, Jennah, changed me, my outlook on the world, and many things. I don't want Laura to go through that until she has to. And the Blades... Caladbolg and Sohothin, I think, might want to come with me if I go to the Mists too soon. I can't let them abandon their legend. If they come, Laura will need me, then. And it will all have been for nothing; a paradox, if you will._

 _So I will wait. I should send her out into the world, with the Blades to guide her, but I am terrified some harm will befall her. She is only eleven, and the Blades... well. I know the Blades can do almost anything as long they have a hand to hold them up, and Sohothin is older than the Exodus, but..._

 _Her legend is hers, and Laura is an exceptional girl. I will not hold her back merely because I have unrational fear; but perhaps it is also residue from watching each and every one of my friends die before me. I told myself I would get attached to none but the Blades; but that changed nine years ago, when Laura was found._

 _Our journey to Tarir showed her a bit of the world, however, and the Forgotten tested her as they did me. I was petrified when Caladbolg was barred from entering, and both barred even from her mind - leaving Sohothin in her hand as simply a sword with battle instincs, for all the use he was - but she prevailed, even alone. She will be fine. I tell myself that, Jennah, over and over, and I can only just convince myself of it. She was fine without the Blades; she will be invincible with them._

 _And it is my duty. I cannot keep her ignorant of the world, and I cannot accompany her into it. She must go with the Blades and not I; her Fate demands it. I will quote Snaff on this one, a quote that Sohothin remembers well; he took it to heart. Ironic that it will never apply to him._

 _"She will outlive me, as she should. She will face horrors that I will not. And in those moments, I hope she remembers my strength, not my weakness."_

 _These words have a new meaning for me when I can apply them to my own situation; I never knew Snaff, but through Sohothin and my other friends, but his words are deeply profound._

 _I will continue speaking to my friends' graves. I know them well enough I know their responses; I don't need Caladbolg to tell me that Trahearne would respond to a certain thing in one way. He was bonded to Trahearne for several years, you know. But I knew him during the same time, different only by a few days._

 _The Spokesman of the Blades of Fate has moved on; a new Spokesman rises, the Blades shall be known again, and the triad will be made a legend._

"She has grown wiser," Queen Jennah comments.

"That she has," Countess Anise agrees. "That quote from Snaff fit right in amongst the rest of her words."

"That it did." Jennah nods. "I sympathize with her, alone even with the Blades. I fear she will waste away talking to dead legends. She can still wield one of the Blades; she and Laura together could withstand any attack on them, particularly with the Blades' power. The respect I once had for the city of Lion's Arch vanished like the Six from Tyria when they exiled her."

"And yet, we could do nothing," Anise sighs. "I have no doubt Lion's Arch would bend, not after declaring their position with so much finality, and starting a war would only shatter the peace that she worked to hard to effect, and then we had just won the centaur war, and were in no place to start another."

"War is not something I would consider," Jennah shakes her head. "Not after so much of it already; the Elder Dragons, the centaurs, not to mention the charr so long ago. And war on Lion's Arch would isolate Kryta from other lands; see what it did to the Commander."

Anise smiles. "What she would say if she heard you still called her Commander after almost twenty years, I would like to find out."

"Calling someone a title to their face is much more habit-binding than learning of and using one in a letter," Jennah replies. "I am not sure anyone but the four living in Glint's lair - and perhaps the Daughters of Jora - call her the Spokesman anymore. Caretaker, rather."

* * *

 _Wielder of Caladbolg, a Blade of Fate:_

 _Laura has been venturing further and further abroad the last five years. It is now thirteen fifty-seven, and I have a purpose again._

"But it's thirteen fifty-eight," Queen Jennah wonders.

"Perhaps this letter was written over a span of time - this is what she was saying then," Anise suggests.

 _Laura learned of the emergence of Scarlet's Alliances as one unit; mockingly calling themselves the Pact. She took up Sohothin, and I Caladbolg and the legacies of Fate's Blade, to find and destroy Scarlet's Alliances._

 _That sounds like a grand plan; but you know this mockery of the Pact is based in the Tarnished Coast, in and around Rata Sum; the asuran Council had been tolerating and accepting the Inquest for quite a while during the original Pact's campaign. I also heard from the Pale Tree quite some time ago that the rest of Rata Sum was echoing the Council's tolerance, at the least; I fear it may have grown into acceptance and perhaps even nonchalance._

 _But Laura reported even worse; the Council, beyond asking the Inquest for advice and 'wisdom' have begun setting them up in respected positions of authority beyond the Council, and the colleges do not seem to mind much. With the Nightmare Court, Flame Legion, dredge, krait, Aetherblades, and others joining the Inquest, and one by one as I hear from the Pale Tree, I do not see the Rata Sum asura rejecting them._

 _This problem is biggest because of the distance to Rata Sum from Glint's sanctuary; Laura could take the asura gate to Lion's Arch and Rata Sum, but I cannot. Laura is a pure warrior - I think she gets it from Sohothin, the Blade she is most fond of, who got it from Rytlock, not to_ mention _Balthazar, and neither of us have the slightest of 'sneaky magic' as Laura calls stealth and mesmerism._

 _I reasoned that Lion's Arch couldn't be that bad; so I went with Laura and was promptly mobbed by what seemed like all of Lion's Arch. Laura, it seems, has become known, and I heard many shrieking at her in high displeasure of why she would take up with a murderer like me. In light of this idea, and that it could potentially harm Laura and the Blades' legend, I thought of disclaiming the idea; we simply happened to be traveling through the same gate; but the bond of the Blades prevented my even thinking of voicing the thought._

 _They tried to arrest me; and Laura wanted to intervene, but the Blades forbade her; they have the same ideas as me regarding her legend, not to mention the fact that I can take care of myself. Which I did, to surprising effect; Lion's Arch just got the madder at me, but Caladbolg took care of me while Sohothin helped Laura get out of the spotlight._

"There seems to be a difference between this part and the next part," Jennah notes.

 _This happened a few weeks ago; in fact, I would be surprised if you didn't hear about it before this letter reaches you._

 _But I feared I was alone with Caladbolg and the graves of my friends; I could feel Laura and Sohothin's adventures and victories, but more, I could feel Caladbolg's longing to be with them, however much he tried to hide it. But normally he would do such a thing by latching onto Laura or Sohothin and quietly slipping out of my mind, and he could not do that this far away._

 _Laura and Sohothin returned for Caladbolg, and tried to convince me to take the trek through the Shiverpeaks the long way, avoiding Lion's Arch altogether, but I decided not to. My reception in Hoelbrak is a pale shadow of my greeting in Lion's Arch, but a pale shadow is still very vehement. I do not dare to try the Black Citadel, and while I know Divinity's Reach benefits under your rule, Jennah, and agrees with you, one must remember that roughly half of the population is aligned with Minister Caudecus Beetlestone, who has always opposed you in most ways, and the Pale Tree informed me of a rumor that he was in with the White Mantle. If he was, his ire at me would only have been supercharged at Lazarus the Dire's death. Rata Sum, as I have already mentioned, is very accomodating to Scarlet's Alliances, and I'm sure they all remember my takedown of Scarlet in thirteen twenty-seven._

 _I fear the only place that is welcoming of me at this point is the Grove, and that because of the nature (pun intended) of sylvari and the Dream keeps memory of the Elder Dragons prominent, not to mention my frequent correspondence with the Pale Tree._

 _But my point is that I doubt my accompanying Laura and the Blades would have done much good._

 _So they are out in the Tarnished Coast, hunting down Scarlet's Alliances and earning the half-hearted glares of the asura, but elsewhere they are earning much respect. Nobody recognizes Caladbolg and Sohothin - it has been twenty-five years, and they are barely remembered in the first place. Laura will build herself a legend, and in the doing, draw Sohothin and Caladbolg with her, building new legends for them._

 _She is only sixteen, nearly seventeen, but she does not need me anymore. I am simply an old and wise friend to her, now. The Blades have moved on from me; and I cannot find it in my heart to envy Laura; rather, I am proud of her and wish the Blades better treatment under her than under me, as I kept them out and away from Tyria._

 _I speak with Trahearne, Rox, and Logan all the time. I am speaking to one or another of my old friends all day._

 _The friendship I shared with Trahearne was special, and unlike the others; forged of a common goal, a united alliance, and determination, and deepened and sustained through constant companionship. It was special, and unlike what I had with anyone else; I was closer to him, in many ways, than the others._

 _Logan, it is true, was my first friend; but it was more a steady partnership, reforging his deeper friendships and helping him complete his former goals, than the powerful friendship I shared with Trahearne._

 _The bond I shared with Rox for a year or two was magical and awesome and bonding, it is true, but also it was not much of a friendship so much as... I don't know. We never really 'got to know' each other; I mean, we did, through the bond, but it was never 'oh, let's have a careless conversation' and more 'what's the battle plan? How will we defeat this dragon?' and it just seemed... hollow, without a previous deep friendship. Not that we weren't friends before, but I didn't know her so well - there was always Logan, Rytlock, Caithe, and Canach until Rox took up Sohothin and Sohothin and Caladbolg started sparking off each other._

 _If the same thing had happend with Trahearne... I suppose, with Sohothin in my hand and Caladbolg in his, well, it would have been so much deeper and more meaningful. I don't know how to describe it - but I know I would have died of grief on the spot had Trahearne been in Rox's place and died after all that. I think Rox understands; it was the same for her, with Braham being her Trahearne in that example._

 _But Trahearne was always my trusting friend, my closest confidant, and... well, I just knew him so much better._

 _To change the topic, though. You wouldn't have thought distance to make a difference in the bond, but apparently it does. I can hardly sense them at all out here, and they lose conscious thought for power to destroy the constructs that Scarlet's Alliance builds often enough that I am growing more and more disconnected; and I feel I prefer the solitude._

 _I am a loner by nature, Jennah, but for a few close friends. I feel an empty place in my heart and mind when Caladbolg and Sohothin are not there, but it is not the hollow pang of grief I feel when thinking about Trahearne's death and subsequent... absence. Not there for the felling of the other Elder Dragons, the happening of which replaced his Wyld Hunt when that was completed._

 _I am slowing down, I think. Quieter, more reflective. My days are slow - not boring, but never full, and never excited and energetic. And I prefer it that way. I feel tired; the way you do after a long, hard day. I am ready to join my friends, but also... not yet. I am not ready for whatever adventure awaits in the Mists; I like my peace and quiet. I do not think Laura and the Blades will return; they will be kept busy with Scarlet's Alliances for many years yet, and then the more diplomatic duty of ensuring the like never happens again in Rata Sum will begin, aided in that more by Caladbolg than Sohothin._

 _So I am alone, and I find peace in solitude. I feel lethargic, and I prefer sitting at my friends' graves than writing. I may not write again, Jennah - and you too, Anise, I know you are listening to every letter - so consider this my farewell to you before passing from this life into the next. I would have liked to introduce you to Laura in person, but the Blades were with me when I saw you last after defeating Maretimor, and can make the introduction easily enough._

 _Goodbye, both of you. I see a quiet year or so ahead of me; alone, isolated, but among friends. And I will truly join them, and soon. Very soon. I can almost feel them calling me._

 _The Spokesman of the Blades of Fate has moved on; a new Spokesman has risen, the Blades are known, their legend forged; a sword lives, a sword flames, and the legend of the Blades of Fate and their Spokesman shall live forever._

* * *

To the casual observer, the aged human woman seems typical of old folk; quiet, slow-moving, and sad. But if the observer recalls the location - Glint's famed sanctum, where Destiny's Edge faced Kralkatorrik nigh on forty years ago - and the almost dangerously efficient and graceful movements of the woman, betraying the fact that she is learned in the art of battle and swordsmanship, he might put together the clues, aided by the very age of the woman, and realize that she could be the Commander of a Pact long forgotten, the memory of whom is tainted by Scarlet's Alliances and Lion's Arch's quite open scorn of the person.

Once in a long while, she will glance around as if missing something.

That something would be more quickly recognized than she; the flaming, sentient Blade of Fate, Caladbolg, the only thing quickening its recognition (if that were possible) being the presence of its twin, Sohothin, and their wielder, the norn woman known as Laura of the Blades.

But they are not there; only the former Commander of the Pact. And she does not miss Caladbolg very much anymore. Not really.

The Commander sits in the center of a cluster of gravestones carved in the likenesses of fourteen people, speaking softly aloud, seeming mainly to address the life-size statue of a sylvari that many other sylvari would recognize as one of the Firstborn, Trahearne by name.

But one statue she hardly ever addresses at all; the one in the likeness of a wavy-haired norn female wielding two greatswords - the Blades of Fate - that have echoes among the other statues. That one is not a gravestone, but a monument, a reminder of the legend the Commander had given to Tyria.

Several items are carved more often than should have been among a company of fourteen; fifteen including the Commander, her statue off to the side; indeed, those items seem as if they should be unique. The Blades of Fate are wielded by Laura of the Blades, Caladbolg by Trahearne, and Sohothin by the two charr.

The device painstakingly constructed out of heavy stone seems to depict a floating powerstone above the left arm of the three asura, the most famed Captain of the Seraph, and Laura of the Blades.

Two blades that were carved exquisitely but never repeated - the one wielded by Logan Thackeray, and the one used by Marjory Delaqua, of the Durmand Priory. Marjory Delaqua's sword - the real version - leans against her statue, and it seems to glow slightly, a misty white aura surrounding the blade of the weapon.

Another weapon repeated several times is the bow used by both norn; Laura of the Blades speaks of them often, among the rest of these statues; Eir Stegalkin and her son, Braham. The bow is also present in the hand of Rox, also wielding Sohothin. The real version of the bow leans against the statue of Eir; Laura of the Blades cannot wield both greatswords and a longbow at once.

The oddest of the lot is the shield that seems incomplete on the arm of a sylvari - also spoken of by Laura of the Blades, Canach - incomplete possibly because of the faultiness of memory by the carver, rather than because carved as broken. But Rytlock holds a similar shield, only it seems as if it was added as an afterthought - perhaps only wielded temporarily. There is a separate block of stone with the shield carved into it without a wielder, with a short inscription detailing how it was destroyed.

Two of the statues are unique by the fact of wielding no special weapons; no exquisite craftmanship on the daggers the Firstborn Caithe has in her hands, and nothing special about the staff held by the human standing near Marjory, Lady Kasmeer Meade.

Over a few days, the Commander gets quieter, and just looks around at the statues, her eyes pausing over each one, stopping with a queer expression on the blade with the misty aura leaning against Marjory Delaqua's statue, and a sad sigh at the bow on Eir's. Her gaze lingers last and almost longest - beaten only by Firstborn Trahearne - on Laura of the Blades, who seems to have carved replicas of most of the weapons carved in stone, lacking only the ones whose originals are among the statues, Logan Thackeray's blade, and the Shield of the Moon.

Laura of the Blades seems to be the end of a funnel of weapons of legacy; the painstaking care of the asuran device - slightly modified from the asuran version, to be compatible for human use - the conspicious lack of flame on the Blades of Legend (how do you carve a flame and leave the original carving recognizable?) and the seeming sorrow of the Commander at the fact that most of the special items are not on her person; neither the two unique swords, the odd shield, or the bow.

The Commander drifts among the company of statues, speaking a word or two to each of them, murmured as if in a dream, but not unintelligible; just inaudible. She pauses last - always last, just as the others seem to come in a particular order, most of the time - at the statue of Laura of the Blades, and says only a sentence or so to her, before turning to the plainest statue of the lot, off to the side - a replica of the Commander, wearing only her brown leather outfit of the adventurer tinged with a splash of green here and there, a face lined with deep grief, but tired resignation, and holding Caladbolg loosely in one hand. It is less detailed than the others; it is a statue from the foggy past, of an event that had shaped the future of Tyria and that had changed the Commander deeply.

She turns to the other statues, raises a hand as if in salute - or perhaps farewell, before heaving a heavy sigh, glancing through the congregation of statues, and going to sit in the center of the group, at the base of the statue of her closest friend, Trahearne. The statue of herself, despite the statue's preoccupation in the events of the past, seems to be a watchful guardian over the group.

A day or so passes in this manner, with the Commander hardly moving from her place, and as the hours pass, she even ceases looking around at the statues, simply sighing in memory.

Around nightfall, roughly twelve hours after she first ceased to wander the forest of statues, the statue of Laura of the Blades gains the same misty-white aura as Marjory Delaqua's sword. This white glow remains for a single hour, before fading. After that, each of the special weapons carved in stone - but only one of each - lights up in the same way, one at a time, for an hour each.

First is the Caladbolg carved into Trahearne's statue; then the carved bow on Eir's back, followed by the odd device on the asura - but the mist seems indecisive on that one, whether to dwell in Snaff's version, Zojja's, or Taimi's. The indecision results in each getting about a third of the hour spent. Then the stone version of Marjory's sword, and the real sword, glowing the same misty white, glows brighter during that time, as if the two auras are communicating. It lights up Braham Eirsson for about five minutes, but Eir's bow in his hand is conspiciously dark, before returning to the statue of Taimi for the same length of time, leaving the asuran device alone, and then Caithe; the Shield of the Moon, held by Canach, is lit up for its full hour, then Rytlock and Sohothin, followed by Logan and his unique sword, and finally Rox, the glow extending partially into the Blade of Fate.

Then, the misty glow settles on Trahearne's statue for another hour, as if watching over the Commander still sitting against that statue.

Lastly, it fully lights up the statue of the Commander, as if watching over all the statues; Marjory's sword seems to be paying attention.

The Commander's statue remains in this watchful state until the sun peeks over the horizon, at which point both the statue and Marjory's weapon go dark.

Dawn comes to find the graveyard empty of life, for the first time in decades. Even the ghost-infused weapon of Marjory Delaqua is silent.

* * *

Later in the day, the deathly quiet is disturbed by the noise of a norn trying to be quiet.

Laura of the Blades, and the Blades of Fate themselves, find the Commander's body at the base of the statue of Trahearne, with a peaceful expression on her face.

Laura heaves a shuddering sigh, and, catching sight of the statue of the Commander, kneels to see the inscription at the bottom; ' _The watcher of legends; the one who ensures they go on; lost and alone, she returns to their company, secure in the knowledge that their legend is carried on by her faithful daughter, Laura of the Blades._ '

Laura draws Sohothin and Caladbolg, and holds them crossed in front of her, the Blades sharing flame. The three living Blades remain in this position for some time, before Laura nods to the statue, then gesturing at the others.

"They will not be forgotten," she promises. She closes her eyes and breathes deeply, before drifting among the statues in the same order as the white glow - the temporary ghost of the Commander - had.

After one circuit, Laura crosses the Blades again. "They will not be forgotten. So says Laura of the Blades. The history of the Elder Dragons and the Pact will not fade to history. So says Laura of the Blades, Spokesman for Caladbolg, Fate's Blade. Lessons will be learned of all the history of Tyria, and threats like those of the Elder Dragons will not rise again. So says Laura of the Blades, Spokesman for Sohothin, Fate's Blade. Together the Blades of Fate will protect and guard Tyria, and find a successor, always none of my own kin, to train. So says the Spokesman of the Blades of Fate. May all Tyrians mourn the passing of the dragon-slaying elite, Fate's Blade. So speaks the soul of Tyria."

Laura of the Blades, Spokesman of the Blades of Fate, buries her mother in all but blood, known most commonly as the Commander of the Pact beneath her statue, and mourns her for a single week.

Then, the Blades return to Tyria.

Thirty years later, Laura of the Blades finds an asuran orphan whose parents died on birth, returns to Glint's sanctuary, and raises Nilgg to wield the Blades of Fate.

At sixteen and a half years, Nilgg returns to a Tyria that had lacked it's protector. Around the time Nilgg turns twenty, Laura of the Blades performs the same ghostly circuit as the Commander had.

Thirty years later, Nilgg finds a successor in the charr Enyale, raises him to the Blades, releases him on Tyria at sixteen and a half, and performs the Rite of the Ghost when Enyale is twenty.

Enyale finds a skritt worthy of the title of Spokesman. The difference is that skritt don't live long enough to only be released on the world at sixteen and a half; but the Blades, knowing their duty to an art, having been doing this for a century or more, have Notchackt ready to aid Tyria by ten. Enyale passes on when Notchackt is twenty.

Notchackt is suceeded by the sylvari Eveanyn, who trains and raises Tlinn, another asura.

The cycle continues, Caladbolg and Sohothin refining their art so that each new Spokesman is capable of aiding Tyria at earlier and earlier ages, somtimes even accompanied by their mentor.

Each Spokesman learns the art of carving, and adds their mentor's statue to the growing collection of statues in the graveyard.

Each Spokesman knows the original Fate's Blade group as well as if they had known them in reality; Caladbolg and Sohothin's memories, as well as the Commander of the Pact's, Rox's, and Laura of the Blades' memories suffice to give each new Spokesman an emotional attachment to the original Fate's Blade, as well as each of the Commander's successors.

Each new Spokesman's mental capacity is expanded by this intimate knowledge of Fate's Blade, and the Blades of Fate grow wiser and more powerful; but the bond between them and the Spokesman is enough to bridge any gap in age or personality.

Tyria has peace; and the traditional ten-year gap - shorter for short-lived races, of course - that generates enough danger for Tyria's helper to be appreciated, and for the non-biological line of Spokesmen to not get careless and lazy.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Yes, very, very long chapter, but I got obsessed. And this way it doesn't have to be a two-shot in a one-shot compilation.

And I am so sorreee! I haven't touched _Book Three: United We Stand_ since Friday. (Did I touch it on Friday? At least on Thursday. Of _last_ week.) I just decided to begin writing this, and this is what happened.

I like it. And no, I did NOT expect the fact that the name 'Fate's Blade' would turn into a legacy-heirloom story. It just... kind of happened. It sounded kind of cold at the beginning, but it got warmed up.

I liked the idea of communicating long time gaps through letter. I think I'll use it again sometime.

This is nothing like the idea that sparked it. /shakes-her-head-in-wonder

Thanksgiving week = hectic. Happy Thanksgiving, by the way! (just, you know, one day late!)

I wrote the last word of this on Sunday - except these last two paragraphs, of course - but my week has been so hectic that I didn't even get the chance to edit in all of the line breaks. (you know, the thing just below this line?)

* * *

(those things, yeah.) So I did that just now - Friday morning - because I can't do that in my Word document, and now I'm posting it, _finallly_.

And of course, I haven't written a single word of _Tyria's Rea_ \- oh wait. It's not _Tyria's Real!?_ anymore... it's the _Tassof Series_ , or, more specifically, _Book Three: United We Stand_ , chapter eight. I really need to stop calling it TR, and call it TS at the very least, right? *sigh* Well, enjoy the next chapter... whenever it comes out... (hey, I _do_ have more than half of chapter eight written from before I wrote this chapter!)


	11. Chapter 11: Nightmare's Embrace

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary: Beorn hates Tiffany, and Tiffany goes crazy. Like, literally.

* * *

Chapter eleven: Nightmare's Embrace

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

This is in honor of one of Anet's recent April Fools jokes. It's based off of the 'update/patch' that declares that ranger pets that are commanded to attack members of their own species turn hostile and attack the ranger instead.

It's based off of the _Tassof Series_.

This is more than just an April Fools joke - it is what would honestly happen if Beorn left Tiffany. Consider it an insight into the personality of Tiffany (not Beorn, since he would never do this, but you know).

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

Beorn sends hurt, anger, confusion, and, above all, revulsion, to Tiffany. The confused ranger sends back enquiry, and Beorn explodes in rage, revoking all ties he has to her. Anger, no, fury, erupts inside the bond. That is common - that happens whenver Tiffany is hurt and Beorn goes all out on whatever attacked her. What is not normal is the target - Tiffany herself.

Tiffany falls to the ground, tears spilling down her cheeks as she feels Beorn's utter rejection of her - she can feel in her bones that it is true, that he means it, and it hurts worse than any physical harm he could have done to her.

After a minute, Beorn turns and leaves her - he walks away, far away, cold fury and utter hatred of her pulsing through the bond until he gets so far away that the bond breaks, Beorn's end going silent. But that is even worse - it reminds her of when she thought he was dead, and now he is more dead to her than he ever was then.

Tiffany curls up in the grass and cries her heart out. She still knows, vaguely, which direction Beorn is, but that is all. She cries until she has no more tears, and then lets the darkness claim her.

The next morning, she can still feel Beorn - the link is there, but he is still out of range, and she is a hollow shell of what she had been. She doesn't return home. She aches to go to Beorn, but she can't stand feeling that hatred. So she wanders around mindlessly, dwelling on the happenstance that had taken her companion from her.

She wanders for a day, and sleeps on the grass a second time that night. She is found by Inquest in her helpless state and experimented on, but Tiffany couldn't care less for physical harm right now, and she barely notices the agony induced by the cruel experiments.

She is eventually rescued - she barely notices who it is - but she is but a shell of her former self. She is the picture of a long-term stay in prison, despite only having stayed at the Inquest facility a week or two. Maybe. She didn't keep track of time, and didn't ask her rescuers.

She had been taken to Metrica Province, too, it seems, and once she is released she wanders aimlessly until the Nightmare Court captures her. The new leader of the Nightmare Court, upon hearing who she is (Warmaster of the Vigil, one of those who killed Faolain and Cadeyrn, a friend of Caithe and Trahearne, etc, etc,) calls her into his throne room and speaks to her. There she reveals her current weakness and ultimate vulnerability now that Beorn has left and she really doesn't care about anything anymore, and he easily convinces her to join the Court.

Tiffany honestly doesn't see the point, given that she isn't a sylvari, but at least she can lose herself in misery here, surrounded by other miserable people.

Once - just once - she feels Beorn again, and for a moment, joy overtakes her as she feels no negative emotion. But then he realizes she is there, he returns the cold hatred that had simmered below the surface for long before leaving again. Tiffany becomes cold and chilly to everyone and speaks to nobody except when she must.

Zhaitan finally manages to overtake Lion's Arch, and starts sending Risen incursions to Tyria. One day, the link dies out of Tiffany's mind entirely, putting an end to her hopes and dreams that Beorn would come back and forgive her. It had been the only thing holding her to sanity. Without it, all her hopes and dreams of killing Elder Dragons and stopping all the death fade out of memory, all her goals seem meaningless and she forgets them, and she comes to love the misery and suffering of the Nightmare Court as a way to escape. In savage glee, she tortures the innocents, never remembering that they have hopes and dreams and loves and a reason to live.

The Nightmare Court are allowed more and more free range over the Caledon forest as the sylvari become occupied fighting the force of Risen pushing outward from Lion's Arch.

Tiffany is a loner among the Nightmare Court for not being sylvari, but this is all the better for her; she delights in misery, and misery she gets. Nobody who saw her now would ever link the cruel shell she is now with the bright, cheery, hopeful and kind soul that had been. Her face is shadowed and her face creased with lines of anger and grief, and she looks like an odd mix of sylvari and human, dressed as she is in the carefully shaped plant matter that is common to sylvari. Nobody would recognize her.

Not even her own sister. Fiona finds her one day when she is ranging abroad, and locks in fierce battle with the odd ranger, never knowing this is her lost sister. Tiffany doesn't remember she had a sister, and doesn't care.

But eventually, Fiona notices. Nothing about her personaliy or appearance indicates that this is Tiffany, but the fact that she is a human dressed as a sylvari, that she knows exactly how Fiona fights, rings bells for the mesmer, but that is all. Noting the absence of Beorn at her side, Fiona concludes that this can't be Tiffany, and the uncertainty that had touched the fight leaves.

The fight is never won - Tiffany is called away by some officer of the Court, and Fiona is left sending illusions at a puff of blue. But the mesmer never forgets the odd human dressed as a sylvari. Tiffany had always spoken of wanting to be part sylvari, but Fiona knows Tiffany is sensible and would never have done something as silly as dressing like one to fit in. Besides, Beorn wasn't there, so Fiona knows it wasn't Tiffany. But if she ever does see Tiffany again, she'll tell her sister about the odd Nightmare Courtier she fought, and they might both get a few laughs out of it.

Fiona never finds out the truth.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Yep. Quite something, isn't it.


	12. Chapter 12: Repetition

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary: Commander Tiffany Solestrider's mind works in odd ways. She likes reanalyzing old information and adapting it to new circumstances. New that Eir was starved prior to death spurs her to rescue the others before they die of starvation, and as a result, she gets there sooner... but not in time to prevent that malicious seed of Mordremoth's. Just in time enough that Zojja and Logan are in better shape... but, as it turns out, that's all they need. That, and Tiffany's unyielding refusal to kill her best friend. Uh, no.

* * *

Chapter twelve: Repetition

* * *

 _Authors Notes:_

Yes, I should be writing the _Tassof Series_... even I know I should writing the _Tassof Series_... I even _want_ to write the _Tassof Series_... but I'm feeling inspired for this one right now. Sorry.

Oohh, this is fun. I've missed writing Canach. I don't get the chance much at all in the _Tassof Series_. He's also the only one that I can't have show up in that series too soon, because character development in LS1, so I have no idea how he'd act prior to that. So, until Southsun, no Canach... wah.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"Just go. I'll catch up. I swear to you, I'm not going to die out here. Not until I see Mordremoth fall."

"Take whatever time you need. Catch up as soon as you can." Commander Tiffany Solestrider's words are kind and soft, but inside she is struggling to repress her true emotions - mainly shock, for now. But the grief will come, and she is going to be very busy - she won't have time for grieving. Maybe after this dragon is dead. Tiffany knows from experience that grief can either be incapacitating or else productive, depending on when and how you channel it.

With Forgal, she'd curled up inside herself for days. Weeks. Later, with Tonn, she'd channeled it into productivity - hunting down Zhaitan's Eyes and Mouths and powerful lieutenants. Afterward, however, the grief was hollow. She'd pushed it so much into fighting that she hadn't been able to experience the grief when somebody dies. She couldn't properly mourn him.

But more people will die - Logan and Trahearne and Zojja and maybe more - if she doesn't take the Tonn route.

Tiffany turns to her team. "Listen up. I need a volunteer to stay behind. Braham will get his time, but he needs someone to watch his back."

"I was already planning to, Commander," Rox assures her. "Braham and I have been through too much for me to just leave him like this. Go on ahead. I'll make sure we find you... after Braham makes his peace with Eir."

"Thanks, Rox," Tiffany says gratefully. "Everyone esle, move out. The rest of our friends are still out there... Eir said she'd been starved - we have no idea how long it will take us to reach the others. If they are treated in the same way... The egg and Mordremoth can wait until we rescue them. Priority one: search and rescue."

"Understood, Commander," Rytlock nods. "Let's go."

* * *

"Do you think Caithe is here?"

Tiffany sighs, rubbing her temples. "I am almost positive. She has the egg, but that's not my concern at the moment. My concern is whether Mordremoth has taken her over. If he has, we'll put her down. If he hasn't... we'll work from there."

"Get the egg and run!" Rytlock roars as he charges in to engage the Vinetooth-Faoalin. Tiffany ignores him, an arrow whistling from her bow and piercing Faolain's face. This is productively channeling grief, and she replays the scene of Faolain's betrayal of Eir mentally.

Caithe, who'd stumbled to the ground, leaps to her feet, surprise in her eyes.

"Caithe, are you alright?" Tiffany demands.

"Commander, I - "

"Fight now, talk later!" Tiffany snaps, relief coursing through her as the sylvari turns her attention to the Vinetooth. Caithe hasn't turned.

Faolain roars, charging through the group to the egg, but Caithe shadowsteps, and again, whisking the egg out of the Mordrem's way. Then she returns to the fight, leaving the egg safely who-knows-where.

Faolain turns her attention to Ruka the Wanderer. If Tiffany had known more about the Exalted, she would have known that Faolain's new form was designed to take them out. She also has no way of knowing that Ruka is experienced at dealing with these special Mordrem.

As it is, the fight between the two is exceptional in the fact that Tiffany has never seen a Vinetooth or and Exalted fight before, and certainly not fight each other, but no more.

Faolain is, of course, quickly defeated - Caithe knows all her secrets, despite the Nightmare sylvari turning.

As the Vinetooth collapses, finally, Tiffany turns to Caithe. "Why did you take the egg?"

Caithe opens her mouth as if to speak, changes her mind, and closes it again. She shakes her head.

"She's being bombarded on all sides by questions and demands," Canach points out, "and she has a dragon inside her head. That's enough to make anyone suspicious of everyone's motives - and from what I've heard, she's never been the trusting sort. Oh! And she just had to help kill her former beloved."

Tiffany sighs. "Just... we don't have the time, Caithe. My top priority is rescuing Logan, Zojja, and Trahearne. I need to know if the egg will be taken to Mordremoth - accidentally or not - if left with you."

"Tarir is near," Ruka speaks up. "It was designed to protect the egg as it hatches. It should be brought there."

"Tarir!" Caithe says, brightening. "Yes, the egg needs to be brought to Tarir."

"Has it... chosen you?" Ruka queries.

"Chosen me? No," Caithe replies, shaking her head. "My Wyld Hunt is to bring the egg - I... I don't know... South. That's all I know - south and west."

"That is the direction of Tarir," Ruka nods.

"And Mordremoth," Canach inserts.

"Why didn't you say so before?" Tiffany exclaims, addressing Caithe. "That changes everything! If it's your Wyld Hunt I can hardly interfere - why didn't you tell us? You know you can trust us!"

"I... I don't know," Caithe says slowly.

"Mordremoth," Canach reminds them dryly. "I am quite certain he can reach all sylvari at all times - his... ability is not limited to the jungle. He _planned_ the Pact's crash and the takeover of the sylvari to be in sync. And he is not just a mental battering ram, either - he is capable of subtle manipulation. He's playing us all like harps."

Tiffany winces at the mental image of Canach playing a harp, then shakes her head. "Alright, Caithe. Take the egg to Tarir - and then maybe join up with Braham and Rox when they come, if you want to join us later."

"Why aren't Braham and Rox with you now?" Caithe wonders.

Silence falls as the group realizes that Caithe doesn't know. "I'll... you tell this one, Rytlock," Tiffany says at last.

"I assume you know about the crash and the Pact prisoners taken?" Rytlock checks.

"Yes," Caithe nods promptly.

"We caught up with Eir not long ago and tried to rescue her, but Faolain - uncorrupted Faolain, mind you - turned on her. She didn't survive."

Caithe blinks in shock. "Eir? Faolain killed Eir?" she demands.

"Effectively," Tiffany answers with a grimace.

Caithe's eyes are full of anger - something quite new, in Tiffany's experience. "I'll take the egg to Tarir - but I want my shot at Mordremoth."

"Don't we all?" Canach agrees.

"Which way now, Commander?" Marjory asks as Caithe shadowsteps away.

"We'll head south. It's the only direction they could have gone, and until Rox returns we don't have a tracker. I don't know where the prisoners are being taken, but 'close to Mordremoth' is as good a guess as any."

"I can lead you right to him," Canach promises. "Mental invasions are good for _something_ , it seems," he adds sarcastically.

* * *

"Hey, where's Taimi?" Kasmeer asks.

Tiffany stops and looks around. "Taimi's missing," she notes in disbelief. "Out here? She chose _now_ to wander off?"

"You assume she went willingly and didn't just lose us around a turn and wasn't kidnapped by Mordrem," Canach replies dryly.

"She would've shouted or made some noise in that case," Tiffany reminds him. "She's good at making noise."

"I'm not sure if you were complimenting her or insulting her, so I won't comment," Canach says.

Tiffany sighs. "Split up," she says with a wince. "Meet up back on the road, and shout if you find her. Don't go too far. I'll check up on the hill."

After fighting through a few Mordrem, wondering how in the world Taimi got through here, and carefully avoiding a few traps, Tiffany finds the tiny asura in a room that has five golden spires.

After helping her power on what Taimi calls a 'data station,' a map powers on and an Exalted appears, introduces himself as Kiru, and proceeds to tell them all about the features of the map.

"Well, knowing where Mordremoth is is a head start," Tiffany says. "I just wish it would show us the prisoner caravan, too."

"Is that _all_ you can think about?" Taimi sighs. "We just discovered the location of Rata _Novus_."

Tiffany turns to Taimi. "Priority one: Search and rescue. We can go to Rata Novus _later_ \- it's been there for ages, it won't go away just because we're prioritizing some other things first."

Taimi seems to wilt. "Fine," she sighs. "I'll just tell some other asura so I can get Phlunted again."

"Don't be silly. We'll keep this one secret."

Tiffany leads Taimi back to the group, who are happy to see that Taimi is alright.

"Braham!" Taimi squeals. "Oh my ears, you're back! I missed you _so_ much!" Then, her mouth drops open. "You're bald," she says, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"Easy there, Miss Genius," Braham retorts. "I missed you too."

Tiffany glances around and sees that Caithe and Rox are here, too.

"Rox, what can you tell me about the trail?"

"I don't think we're on their trail. We got wind of a prisoner caravan in Tarir, but it's not theirs. Not as many prisoners or Mordrem."

"Alright," Tiffany nods, thinking. "Let's follow it, though. We can rescue some people, and we might get some intel on where Mordremoth takes his prisoners. They might be heading to the same place."

"Alright," Rox nods. "Let's go."

* * *

"Yes. Marshal Trahearne, Zojja, and Captain Thackeray created a diversion so a few of us could escape." Lieutenant Morris is tired, and her voice has a defeated and hopeless feel to it.

"You were with them!" Tiffany exclaims excitedly. "Are they here?"

"I'm afraid not. They sacrificed their own chance at freedom so we could get away. The Mordrem took them."

Tiffany nods. "Were they alright?"

Lieutenant Morris grins wryly. "Marshal Trahearne seemed perfectly himself, Commander. I couldn't tell him from somebody not affected by the dragon. They were all fine... at least mentally. Physically... not so much. We were kept without light, food or water, and were told in great detail what the dragon had in store for us..." she shudders. "They left half of it up to our imagination, but what they hinted at... I'm afraid to sleep at night."

"This is serious," Tiffany frowns. "Do you know where they went?"

"I was too out of it. Magister Humli would know - he was the last to escape. He isn't here, though - he led a group after a monster that had been attacking our camp. They went through the mushroom-lit passage there."

"I'll leave some of my - wait." Tiffany frowns. "How could he lead a group to kill it if you didn't have weapons? And how could you have weapons if you'd just been imprisoned?"

"I think Mordremoth let us escape on purpose. Everything fit into place too well. The distraction shouldn't have worked as well as it did - the Mordrem are much too vigilant to _all_ leave their posts. Our weapons were kept within sight of us, so we grabbed them and ran. I didn't think about it until later, but..."

Tiffany grimaces. "We need to rescue them. _Fast_. Canach was right, the dragon is playing us like harps. Braham! Let's go rescue Magister Humli, then we'll take off after this prisoner caravan. The rest of you, stay here and protect these people."

"On it, Commander."

* * *

"I spoke to the Magister before he died. He told me the caravan was headed south. Let's go."

"Caithe and I found the trail not far from the camp," Rox speaks up. "It's fresh and clear - these escapees haven't been free for long."

"Good," Tiffany nods. "Let's move."

* * *

A day later, the tracks are no fresher.

"They're keeping ahead of us - but barely," Rox reports.

"That or Mordremoth has found a way to fake tracks," Canach puts in. "He's playing us like harps."

"Is this going to become Mordremoth's signature?" Rytlock grumbles. "'The harp player was here?'"

Tiffany fights to hold in her laughter. ' _This is a serious topic!_ ' she scolds herself. "This is no laughing matter, Rytlock," she says aloud. "We have no choice but to continue on. Mordremoth might be the jungle, but I doubt he can fake footprints. Everything matches up so far. Maybe he'll get overconfident - we can use overconfidence to our advantage."

"Just make sure _we_ don't get overconfident," the charr retorts.

Tiffany sighs and nods. "Stay vigilant."

"You just had to find a way to say that while slipping in the name of your Order, didn't you, Commander?" Rox sighs.

Tiffany smirks. "This is why nobody but Trahearne could've led the Pact, you know. I'm horribly biased."

* * *

The tracks lead them farther and farther south, and everyone is getting jumpy. Especially Canach and Caithe - they jerk at small noises, Canach seems extra irritable and Caithe is quiet - even moreso than normal. Nobody has to guess why.

"I hate to get people's hopes up," Rox says after a day or so, "but the tracks show signs of being more recent. I think they're slowing."

"Good," Tiffany says. "Unless... is it another trap?"

"No way to know for sure," Rytlock snarls. "We're going in anyway."

Tiffany nods fervently. "Lead the way, Rox."

* * *

Tiffany sighs in - well, relative relief. "She's much worse than Logan, but she's conscious," Tiffany reports.

"Oh, good," Kasmeer sighs. "I was afraid - well, who knows what those Blighting Trees can do."

"Who knows, indeed," Logan agrees. He is very pale, thin and weak, but he is standing. On the other hand, Zojja is barely conscious, and she seems delirious.

"Does anyone have water?" Tiffany asks anxiously, holding the tiny asura in her arms as Zojja mutters under her breath.

Rox steps forward with a canteen of water. It is rather hard, they realize, to make somebody drink who is this out of it, and after a moment Kasmeer steps forward and does some magic trick to spell the water directly into Zojja's stomach.

"Can you take care of them, Kas?" Tiffany asks. "Don't think I'm going to let you come along, Logan - you're dead on your feet," she adds when Logan opens his mouth to protest.

"Sure thing, Commander," Kasmeer nods. "I don't think Zojja can survive portaling, though - we'll have to stay here."

"That's fine," Tiffany nods, glancing around. Where is Trahearne? Who knows what lack of food and water do to sylvari - but lack of sunlight has always been bad for plants. "Just keep them hidden." It goes without saying to make sure they have enough food and water - supplies that the team has plenty of. "Marjory, stay with Kasmeer. The rest of you, with me."

Rox tracks the last prisoner for quite a ways before they finally find Trahearne.

Tiffany quickly takes in the surroundings, looking for enemies. Only when she can see there aren't any surprise ambushes does she allow herself to focus on her friend.

As she hurries up to check on him, she notices he looks quite wilted - literally. She grimaces. "Trahearne, can you hear me?" she asks, hoping against hope that he is alright. He seems conscious, but he also seems to be being forcibly held upright.

"Commander?" the sylvari says, and Tiffany can hear the note of relief in his voice. "The Pact, is it - "

Tiffany almost smiles. "Only you would ask after the Pact when you're in this state, my friend," she tells him. "We can worry about the Pact later - we need to get you out of here."

Trahearne shakes his head. "You can't. I am part of the jungle dragon now."

Tiffany huffs. "Says who? Mordremoth? I say any tie can be broken, if you try hard enough."

"No, Commander, I think he's serious," Canach says sarcastically. "He's literally grafted into Mordremoth."

Trahearne just nods.

Tiffany snarls in frustration, in a good imitation of Rytlock having a bad day. "Alright, so what _can_ we do?"

"Secondary priority; kill the dragon," Canach supplies.

"It's too late," Trahearne informs him. "It is everywhere."

"So, we burn every field and fell every forest," Braham shrugs. "Shouldn't be too hard if we organize the Pact and - "

"No," Trahearne sighs. "It'll just grow back. The roots have spread too far."

Tiffany thinks for a moment. There has to be a way. Tiffany is fond of looking for the simplest explanation first, so she thinks back to the other times Elder Dragons have been fought. Her mind settles on Kralkatorrik - Destiny's Edge would have beaten it if Rytlock had got the Dragonsblood Spear into it. Countering an Elder Dragon with it's own... "alright then, we strike back mentally." She resists the urge to add a 'somehow' on the end.

"Sound strategy, Commander." Tiffany can hear the smug delight in Canach's voice. "Attack the dragon the same way it's been attacking us? Brilliant."

And then of _course_ Mordremoth has to add his two cents, which makes all the sylvari wince. Canach's succinct "you don't need a translator to understand that" is patently obvious.

Trahearne nods. "Yes... that can work. And I... my connection can prove the access you need."

Tiffany resists the urge to ask _how in the world will that work_ , since it's only Trahearne that has this connection, but she trusts the sylvari. She nods.

"Your minds will make the journey, but your bodies will remain here," Trahearne tells them. "And I... I can only concentrate enough to bring a few of you into Mordremoth's mind."

Tiffany grimaces. "Alright..." she glances through her team. She has to pick based on mental fortitude... so Caithe and Canach would be prime choices, for obvious reasons. However, the two of them might be extra susceptible within this particular dragon's mind. On the other hand, she isn't sure what exactly is required of a person's mind to attack another's - self-confidence might impact the fight as much as anything else. So might intelligence, she notes as her gaze falls on Taimi. She does realize that Taimi and Braham, being the youngest and not out of their teens yet, might be a bit flighty and unpredictable mentally... although, that could be exactly what she wants.

Sylvari never 'grow up,' so Mordremoth might not know how to deal with the minds of youngsters, which is certainly a point in favor of bringing Taimi along, at least, given her precociousness even for asura, and the tiny genius is also very self-confident and even pushy, at times, signifying her will.

Rox is a bit too gentle, Tiffany decides, and Tiffany just gets the overall feeling that the charr wouldn't do well in a mental battle. On the other hand, Rytlock has been dealing with what he calls voices in his head, and is also rather familiar with the Mists and other such unpredictable things, not to mention he's _Rytlock_ and that's always a point in his favor.

Now she is back to Canach and Caithe, and while she would be happy bringing both of them along, five is hardly 'a few of you,' and Tiffany decides that four might even be stretching it. All told, she is more sure of Canach's mental capability than Caithe's, not to mention Canach is the kind of unpredictable individual that might baffle Mordremoth, whereas one of Caithe's defining traits is her secretiveness, not something that will help when this is a mental battle.

"If any of you want to stay behind, I won't force you to come with me," Tiffany says finally. "I get the feeling that would be the exact wrong thing to do when we're dealing with an up-and-coming mental battle. Trahearne, how many can you handle?"

"Three, maybe four at a stretch," the sylvari frowns.

Tiffany nods. "Alright..." suddenly, she wonders about her own mental traits. She considers the traits she has included in her impromptu test - force of will, unpredictability, intelligence, self-confidence, and experience. She is self-confident, she knows, and she wonders if having the idea for the Pact can be considered unpredictable - it is certainly thinking outside the box, she notes, and she supposes that is a good thing in this scenario. Force of will... she'd never particularly displayed anything like a strong will, but never a weak one, either. That's untested ground, she decides. Intelligence she is sure somebody else would have to test her on, and she is quite certain that she has absolutely zero experience in this arena.

So that's Canach, Taimi and Rytlock, then. That's fine by her. "Alright," she says again. "Rytlock, Taimi and Canach, do you think you're up to handling an Elder Dragon?"

Taimi squeaks in surprise, Rytlock huffs as if in annoyance, but nods, and Canach declares a vehement yes, by which time Taimi has recovered her surprise.

"But why me?" she asks finally.

"Do you not want to?" Tiffany asks.

"No, I do, but - but you think I can handle it?"

"The factors I considered when choosing you were purely mental," Tiffany explains. "Things like self-confidence, intelligence, experience with mental attacks or whatever it is that Mordremoth does, force of will, obviously, that sort of thing."

"Oh," Taimi nods. "I can do it."

Tiffany notices that Trahearne is looking slightly uncertain when Caithe asks, "what about you, Commander?"

"I have, to the best of my ability, judged myself better at fighting physically than mentally," Tiffany explains. "Given the criteria I just mentioned, I'm not at all sure I would be as fit in this mental battle as the three of you - and like I just said, self-confidence is a factor I considered."

Taimi looks shocked and even Canach seems slightly surprised. Rytlock just huffs. "Well, lets get on with it, then," he grumbles.

Trahearne, looking much more certain now, closes his eyes as an intent look spreads across his face. The three Tiffany had chosen collapse bonelessly on the floor before anyone can react, but they seem to be fine except for the obvious absence of their minds. Trahearne is very much preoccupied, and the cavern is silent as the rest of the group keep silent watch as the invisible, mental duel progresses.

It lasts quite a long time, and Tiffany wonders if time passes differently in Mordremoth's mind.

All of a sudden, Caithe straightens with a cry of joy, Trahearne opens his eyes as the intent, focusing look passes, and the three mental fighters slowly get to their feet. Taimi, in particular, seems slightly forlorn as she stumbles when she tries to take a step, and Tiffany can guess how different the mental battle was for her.

But while the others - particularly Caithe and Canach - are exclaiming over the dragon's death, Tiffany is back to priority one: rescue. She carefully studies the construction of the thick vines wrapped around Trahearne, wondering what to do about them and how to get Trahearne un-attached to the dragon.

Then, she notices a strained look on Trahearne's face. "Are you alright?" she asks in concern, and he grimaces.

"Not... particularly, Commander," he says wryly. "I... Caladbolg is near, I can feel it. Can you bring it here?"

"Of course," Tiffany says instantly. She glances around for it, and sees it not far off. She almost gasps when she sees the shattered condition it is in, and lifts it with care. It is hardly longer than a long knife, and strangely light for its size. She returns to her friend for further instructions.

"Quickly now," Trahearne says, and his voice seems strained. It's as if he still hears Mordremoth's voice. "Use it... use it on me."

"NO!" Tiffany snaps, drowinig out the rest of his sentence. "No indeed, Marshal Trahearne! I can't _believe_ you'd say such a thing! There is absolutely no way I'm going to - to - just no!"

"I... I appreciate the sentiment," Trahearne replies, "but it really must be done."

"Nope. Not gonna happen. Mordremoth is dead and gone and there is absolutely no reason you can ever say that will make me do it. I'd ask if I was dreaming, but even my worst nightmare couldn't come up with this."

"Mordremoth is alive... I still hear its voice. Mordremoth... planted a terrible seed, a last hateful trace of itself... you have to do it, Commander. Before it grows, before Mordremoth reclaims what it has - " Trahearne cuts off, inhaling sharply.

Thinking fast, Tiffany tries to figure out how to deal with this. "Yeah, yeah and what does killing _you_ have to do with this?" she asks. "We'll just kill Mordremoth again. Same way as before, only this time, no escape route."

"I - can't - " Trahearne manages to say, and Tiffany frowns.

"Let me guess, this is the 'connection' used to get into Mordremoth's mind earlier, and so nobody else could possibly provide the same," she guesses. "Alright, other methods of entering an Elder Dragon's mind, other methods..." she does think out loud when under pressure.

"Snaff's laurel," Caithe recalls.

"Yeah, and that's absolutely no help in the here and now," Tiffany snaps. "Not unless one of you has one of those magic portable gates on you."

"Zojja," is all Trahearne says.

"Hold on, Trahearne, we'll get you out of this," Tiffany says, her voice rock steady, and then she zips down the tunnel faster than her feet can carry her (which makes absolutely no sense, but that's what happens) back toward the place where Kasmeer is taking care of Logan and Zojja.

She tires out quite quickly, but they aren't far, and she gasps, "porta-gate-thing," to Logan.

'Porta-gate-thing?' Logan mouths in confusion.

Zojja, who seems to be not nearly in so much trouble and at least partially conscious and no longer delirious, speaks. "Hole-n-pocker," she slurrs, on the edge of consciousness.

"Oh that thing," Logan notes intelligently. He fishes it out from somewhere and hands it to Tiffany. "Why?"

"Trahearne's in trouble, we need one of Snaff's laurel things to use on Mordremoth," she explains quickly as she expands the gate. "Know where it is? Was gonna head to Zojja' lab, but I don't want to be gone for too long - "

"Big Snaff," Zojja mumbles. "Passrd. Gholem."

"There's a nasty golem in the lab that will threaten to kill you in disgusting ways if you mention Snaff until you give the password," Logan translates rapidly. "It can show you where that sort of thing is."

"Got it," Tiffany nods, and jumps through the gate.

On the other side, Tiffany snarls the password - Big Snaff - at every golem she sees until one repeats it back to her. She follows it to a sliding door panel, glances around for the glint of gold for the laurel, and sees a pair - one quite dusty and old-looking, another quite new, and she snatches both before returning through the gate. "They work together, right?" she asks Logan.

He nods, and Tiffany turns to run, but her first step takes her a good ten yards further than it should have. Kasmeer's portal, of course. She continues running, but that portal might have saved lives. She is out of breath and her side is killing her by the time she returns, but Rytlock and Caithe instantly, after a moment of surprise that Tiffany had actually found the laurels, seize upon them and start talking.

Tiffany just stumbles over to Trahearne, whose eyes are closed. His breathing is shallow and he isn't moving.

"It's alright, we're about to defeat Mordremoth for good," Tiffany whispers to him. "Just hold on a minute longer. You can do it. You've led the Pact to victory multiple times, you can do it."

"Use his name, Commander, it helps," Canach tells her, and she does.

"Trahearne," she says softly. "You are strong. You can do it. Did you know that your name, Trahearne, literaly means 'strong?' You can do it. You are a doer of impossible things, my friend. It took you forever, but you completed your Wyld Hunt, no matter how you thought it couldn't be done, you did it. You can do this, Trahearne. You can do it. And then we can go killing other Elder Dragons, and free Tyria from their iron grasp, and we'll do it _together_ , Trahearne, and I don't know what I'll ever do if you die, but I need you. You can do it, you can oust this meddlesome dragon, and then you'll be free. You've done it all this time, you can last a little longer, Trahearne."

"Commander, you need to use the other end of the laurel," a voice says in her ear. Tiffany flinches in surprise, but nods. "How?"

Caithe grimaces. "Not entirely sure on the details, but - "

"Zojja showed me how these work, once," Taimi says. "You need to become what your enemy - that's Mordremoth - is not. And then you... well, I think you..."

"I'll figure it out," Tiffany agrees, and takes the laurel despite the twist of fear in her stomach. Become what Mordremoth is not? How? She places it on her head and closes her eyes. A moment later, she sees the dragon.

A thousand points of light, all flying tightly in a single sphere, all disconnected (which disconcerts Tiffany for some unidentifiable reason), and a single point in the middle

Mordremoth.

That single point in the middle. She stares at it, wonders what it is like inside. As she looks, she realizes that it is really two points, or two points attached to each other.

She doesn't have to think long to figure out what this is. She knows which one is Trahearne, she can feel him - tired but determined, fighting a losing battle, sheer determination and willpower keeping him from being completely absorbed by the other dot - hunger, rage, an iron will, determined to rule its subjects so tightly they have no free will but Mordremoth's.

Tiffany feels the strongest pull toward Trahearne, but that is just because it is Trahearne wearing the other laurel. She can't get in to Mordremoth's mind from here, but she is drawn into Trahearne's, and sees the same scene, but with different emotions.

This is the scene from Trahearne's perspective - Mordremoth is a terror, a vile parasite, a disease that will not be denied its fill. It is inevitable. Trahearne himself feels determination, fueled by self-confidence and a touch of hope, and love - for Tyria, for his friends, for the Pact, for everything he has worked to build.

And Tiffany knows, suddenly. Become what Mordremoth is not. Love, of course. Love and trust and all those qualities that bind people together on the deepest level, none of which Mordremoth is.

And Tiffany can quite easily get into Mordremoth's mind from _here_ , so she does.

And is instantly surrounded by all that Mordremoth truly is - Trahearne has the right of it, it seems - a parasite, a disease - but also all-encompassing rage. It is, Tiffany notes, most likely the only emotion Mordremoth is capable of feeling. Rage, anger, fury. Mostly centered around Trahearne at the moment. Well. The opposite of anger is love, and so Tiffany becomes that - and, just to spite Mordremoth (and because its what she's worried about most at the moment) centered around Trahearne.

Worry, concern, care for her friend. All symptoms of the quite deadly disease of love. Determination, and a touch of love-born anger on his behalf - righteous fury, a need to avenge this whole disaster with Mordremoth at the center. She pulls on the grief that is there, hidden away because it's not quite needed yet, but generated when Trahearne told her to do _that_ , she draws on it, feeds on it, becomes a weeping mess at considering the future without him. Out of that grows determination to never see it happen, righteous rage at the dragon that would _dare_ try to do such a thing to _anyone_ \- and the worry and concern over what Trahearne is going through right now.

Mordremoth howls, unable to stand all these vast emotions born of love. Mordremoth focuses on her, pressing on her, feeding her anger born of hatred, fury born of denial, rage born of frustration.

Tiffany counters with worry born of love, trust born of friendship, concern born of empathy.

And she feels other minds around her - one intelligent, eager to prove herself, another ferocious and skillful, and another with a simmering hatred of the dragon. They move on, but now Mordremoth's hatred and rage grow, and exponentially when Tiffany bothers him with her love and care for her friends. She is an irritation in Mordremoth's mind, a behind-the-scenes itch as oppose to the actors of Taimi, Rytlock and Canach that take the dragon's attention and hit where it hurts.

Tiffany has done her job - distract the dragon so that the others can enter the seed of Mordremoth's remains. But she stays, irritating the dragon, distracting it. She tells it how mad she is at what it is doing, throwing all her love and concern and worry at Mordremoth, daring it to counter her, presenting her argument and telling it to stop already. She does need some structure for this, and telling Mordremoth all her woes and why is the best one she can think of, and a pretty good one, too.

Mordremoth seems to agree with her on _that_ \- its rage increases proportional to the emotion in Tiffany's arguments, and as its rage increases, so the depth of her love for her friend becomes more irritating to it, more disturbing and mentally unbalancing.

The parasite of hatred cannot get into her, not filled to the brim of love as she is. She is _immune_ , and she utilizes this to the fullest extent.

Then, just to make Mordremoth madder, she taps into her love for the three battling the dragon on a more obvious front.

Taimi, funny and quirky and _young_ and in so much danger here. Rytlock, grumpy and occasionally snarky and with a healthy dislike of Elder Dragons in general, but no other emotion concerning them, and therefore vulnerable to Mordremoth's tactics. Canach, snarky and sarcastic and rebellious against the dragon but also with a conflicting past that might make him uncertain.

All reasons to love, and all reasons to worry. Combined with the more cultivated love and worry because of Trahearne, she throws these at the Elder Dragon. ' _See what you're doing?_ ' she demands with all her heart.

Mordremoth is incensed. Mordremoth's hatred _burns_. Tiffany, covered in love, flinches away from the hatred, so different to her own. She wonders if she has become powerful enough for Mordremoth to reverse the tactics and invade _her_ \- but she does not desire hatred. It is not a gaping hole within her the way love is within Mordremoth.

The origin of an emotion is as important as the emotion itself - she and Mordremoth both feel anger, but for different reasons. Mordremoth's is born of frustration, Tiffany's of worry and love.

Righteous indignation at the dragon is not nearly as effective at countering Mordremoth as love and worry and concern, which might be where she is wobbling. She is working herself up into a frenzy, and drawing too much rage at the dragon, and she is becoming less effective.

So she focuses on memories - fighting beside Trahearne, encouraging him when he lost hope, the joy she felt for him when he finally completed his Wyld Hunt. The awe and appreciation for his study as he deftly exploited his knowledge of Orr for the Pact's benefit, her astounded surprise at the level of _detail_ he had learned.

Coaxing him out of the airship always docked at Fort Trinity, pulling him out of his wish to be alone and encouraging him to face the crowds. Her amusement that he can always be found on the airship, always, because that is his hideout and it's _funny_.

Putting him on the spot on Claw Island, telling him he would be a good leader of the Pact, pointing out why he is almost the only person who could, and then watching as he goes and proves her right, he is one of the best leaders around. So what he'd never done it before, he's a natural-born leader. Pride that she'd identified this in him, that she'd drawn it out and made use of it.

The dragon hates her guts. Tiffany had, inadvertently or no, made Trahearne into the fiercely determined _self_ he is now, this completely unique being that has no wish at all to be subject to an Elder Dragon.

Tiffany is happy with that. This dragon hates her for the very qualities she is dwelling in to make it angrier. She is _good_ at this.

And then Mordremoth focuses within itself, and Tiffany guesses that it is dying, and she prods it with her love again - love of those it is fighting, specifically - distracting it again.

She notes that it is less powerful, it is torn in different directions, is confused and doesn't know what to do, and this time she puts her emotion _in_ the dragon, seeding her love throughout it.

Mordremoth, unable to take it anymore, besieged from all sides by this foreign emotion, succumbs to the superior power of love. With its host rejecting it, it crumbles into nothingness, and Tiffany is pushed out of the dragon's mind as it dies.

Tiffany wonders how to get out from here, and suddenly she isn't in anybody's mind anymore. She blinks at the cavern with all her friends beaming at her, and realizes somebody had taken the laurel off.

She looks at Trahearne, and is exceedingly relieved to see him looking perfectly alright. But she has to ask. "Is it gone?"

Trahearne nods, joy in his face, and Tiffany smiles. "We did it!" she says triumphantly. "We did it."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

HA! Take that! Take that! TAKE THAT, ANET! I found a way around it! I _did_! Ha! I used your very own methods, too! I followed the rules! Ha! Take _that_!

Also, if you were wondering why I called this chapter _Repetition_ , it's because Tiffany keeps using ideas that have already been introduced. In the game, nobody even mentioned the fact that the other prisoners might be starving, too, and nobody thought of going into Mordremoth's mind _again_ because that 'failed' before, and nobody thought of the laurel either because that also 'failed' before. So Tiffany's just re-using other people's ideas.

Oh, and I accidentally proved Dumbledore right. 'Love is the power the Dark Lord dragon knows not.' Ha.


	13. Chapter 13: Joko's Worst Mistake

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary:

* * *

Chapter thirteen: Joko's Worst Mistake

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So, there's going to be a lot of Palawa Joko and Aurene in this chapter, so heed the spoiler warning:

Anyway, don't read this unless you've played _Living World Season 4: Episode 6: War Eternal, Instance 5: Descent_

* * *

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

"I don't know why everyone's so skittish around Aurene," Braham comments. "EATING Joko was the only sure way. Makes perfect sense."

The Commander nods. "It does. Still... did she have to do it so... obviously?"

Braham shrugs. "Kinda wish I'd thought of it myself."

The Commander stumbles back. "Ugh... Braham... Braham! That. Is. _Disgusting!_ "

"What did the bald idiot do this time?" Taimi asks from the other end of the room.

"He... " the Commander just shakes her head. "He... you tell her, Braham."

"He said," Canach puts in, "that he wishes he'd thought of eating Joko himself."

"BRAHAM!" Taimi screeches.

"Oh, eww," Rox agrees. "That is a bit... graphic, Braham."

"Actually," Gorrik puts in, "I would _love_ to study the effects of - "

"Alright, alright!" Braham interrupts, looking panicked. "I was joking!"

"You better have been," Taimi says sternly.

* * *

Sayida was right. In Lion's Arch by sundown.

Only... there are Awakened.

Caladbolg is in the Commander's hand in a heartbeat. They aren't attacking... but how are people in Lion's Arch Awakened? There are no unAwakened in sight.

Her allies - Braham, Rytlock, Logan, Caithe, Sayida, Taimi - have their weapons out only moments after her, and form up in a defensive position.

"What is going on?" Rytlock asks at last.

"Don't you like your welcoming committee?" the familiar voice of Palawa Joko asks. The lich is suddenly in front of them, smirking. "I decided that I didn't like being _eaten_ all that much, even if that was no longer the body I inhabited. Just the rumors were disgusting enough. So I decided to take over your homeland for revenge. How do you like it?"

And then, several familiar people - Awakened now - step out of the crowd.

"My friends..." the Commander says, her eyes hardening. "They were defenseless!" she snarls. "Innocent! How dare you take advantage of that!"

"Ah, but nobody is innocent," Joko says, smiling evilly. "Innocent... who defines it? You? Me? The Elder Dragons? No. History. And history decrees that nobody is innocent! Nobody who has taken part in or been affected by war! And certainly those you knew in your youth count as those who have been affected? Given that they never see you anymore? As if you're _dead?_ Oh, hit a nerve, did I?"

"Clearly," the Commander replies through gritted teeth. "How did you survive? Aurene ate you!"

"Ah, I believe I asked somebody about, what was it... oh yes, Mordremoth! Sadly, I could not Awaken the Pale Tree, but her children... oh, yes indeed. Turns out you _have_ killed one of your allies before!"

The Commander winces. "It needed to be done," she says, her voice empty.

"Ah, yes, because the dragon was still alive! Guess who else uses that trick?"

"Aurene," Caithe realizes. "And she ate you."

"Ah, yes - guess where she got it from?" Joko demands. "I have containers - not _people,_ oh no, that was monumentally stupid of Mordremoth - "

"I happen to agree," the Commander snarls. "And like it, I will kill you and - if necessary - all your 'containers!'"

Joko holds up a hand. "Before you do anything, I have two things to tell you. One, I did _not_ desecrate your oh-so-dear Fort Trinity. In fact, all of Orr is completely too ruined by your mindless rampage for me to even go near it. So your old stomping grounds remain... untouched by me or my loyal servants. Second, if you leave now and _never_ come back, leaving me to rule in peace - no war under a single ruler, and you've trounced the active Elder Dragons - then I will let you leave. Play around in Elona, I am quite done with it - they abandoned me. Maybe go save Cantha, as well. Leave your personal mark on the world, Commander?"

"We may cause chaos," Braham snarls, "but at least we don't _enslave_ people!"

"Tut, tut," Joko sneers. "Can't have everything. I prefer it like this, anyway. Now, go! I do have you quite surrounded, you know. Lion's Arch has some beautifully impressive air defense. And remember; do not return."

"Come on, Commander," Rytlock huffs. "Let's leave this moron alone. Remember, it puts him between us and Jormag. There's nothing we can do for the Awakened now, anyway."

"But they're disconnected from him when Joko dies!" the Commander protests. "Or was that all a ruse?" she demands of the lich.

"Ah, no, it is true, sadly," Joko replies, sounding truly mournful. "What use is it, being Awakened, if you have no purpose? But anyway, I believe you are asking why I did not reassert control? Because I didn't want you to come rushing before I was ready. You must have wondered why you received no communication from Tyria since my supposed 'defeat.'"

"So we can free them, then!" the Commander smirks, triumphant. "We just have to kill you - permanently this time. I'm rather good at doing that, you know."

Joko snorts. "By all means, attempt to die. Throw yourself mindlessly on the - may I remind you, self-aware and perfectly happy as they are - legions of Awakened that just so happen to have been your friends in life? When I can teleport out quite easily, and will just re-Awaken them again later?"

"Commander, come _on,_ " Braham says, pulling her back.

* * *

"Aurene, Aurene is the key," the Commander mutters. "She's an Elder Dragon now, and Joko doesn't believe in killing them. We can mobilize the Pact - recruitment should be good after the whole Kralkatorrik thing - the Sunspears and the Zephyrites, if they'll help, I'm sure Rox can get the Olmakhan to - "

"Commander, why are you doing this?" Caithe asks. "It'll just cause more destruction!"

"But it'll free them!" the Commander retorts. "I should think _you_ , of all people, should understand not wanting to be enslaved!"

"Commander, that's low," Canach comments.

"But true," Caithe sighs. "Fine. But we try to take out Joko without bothering the Awakened."

"Always," the Commander replies. "I don't like destruction, much less being the cause of it. This'll just be like fighting Zhaitan again, with resurrecting enemies and killing the kingpin the end of it all. Where's... where's Logan? If Fort Trinity is left, we can base there. Dragonfall isn't that far south of Orr, we can get there easily." Suddenly, she stops, the blood draining from her face. "Oh no!"

"What?"

"Joko's got access to the Priory's archives! And the Whispers' extensive network! That's most of the Pact's powerbase!"

"Thorns and brambles!" Canach breathes.

"That'll be the first priority," the Commander decides.

* * *

As it turns out, they'd forgotten something else - the asura gates from Fort Trinity to the Durmand Priory and the Chantry of Secrets, which Joko had not deactivated. Or even noticed at all, apparently.

Pact forces were able to take those two bases without Joko noticing - the Vigil Keep was a no-go, given that Joko had decided to base himself there - and the gates provided a firm supply line.

The people of Tyria, who'd been besieged for a long time by Zhaitan's undead before the Pact came along, were desperate to help them, bringing information and spying. The people of Elona, who were sympathetic to Tyria's plight, sent in reinforcements.

So the Pact is quite healthy in terms of manpower and information, and the Order of Whispers is scattered among the Tyrians, soaking up information like a sponge.

After about six months, the Pact and its alliances strike. They come from the Durmand Priory, as that is cavernous and can hold a bunch of people, and nobody expects a library to base an attack. It is also the closest place to the Vigil Keep, which is their goal.

They also come from the Chantry of Secrets, just south of Lion's Arch, but that division is smaller - designed to deal with the Awakened in Lion's Arch.

Only... Joko knew.

Joko isn't in the Vigil Keep, and the attackers are assaulted by a ton of Awakened. The lich's recordings mock the Commander, dropping the information that he's living in the palace of Divinity's Reach now.

The Commander and the Pact defeat the Awakened at the Vigil Keep, claim that landmark for their own and reactivate the asura gate, and head for Divinity's Reach.

The delegation from Lion's Arch join them, after noting that the Divinity's Reach asura gate no longer functions and retuning it to Fort Trinity.

After a long war of trying to get to Divinity's Reach, and failing because of all the Awakened, they finally manage to break into the city after a pitched battle at the Shaemoor Garrison.

Of course, then they have to take the city itself, which takes several days and the lives of many on both sides (whom Joko merely Awakens - again in the case of his own troops). The Commander was right - it is like fighting Zhaitan again.

But when the climactic battle occurs, it turns out that Joko had simply gotten one of his mesmer Awakened to weave illusion around a normal Awakened to make it look like him.

In reality, Joko has decided to take a look at the jungle, sure he can Awaken all the multitude of Mordrem that deactivated when Mordremoth died.

So the Pact stabilizes Divinity's Reach, flushes out the Awakened from the other cities, and heads after Joko.

Airships, suffice it to say, are not on the agenda, even with Mordremoth dead.

After more long battles and more heavy losses, Joko finally faces them directly in the midst of the jungle in which the Pact had made its last stand. It had been absolutely devastated - the whole jungle felled and burned and made into a battlefield.

* * *

"I do like fighting my enemies on a fair field," Joko laughs evilly.

The last battle is every bit as pitched, dramatic, and book-sounding as every other victory wasn't.

The Commander, leading the assembled Pact, charges down the battlefield at the same time as Joko's army of Awakened, led by Joko's top general, whose acquaintance the Commander had made several times, each ending in death for Joko's top general. Joko had just reAwakened him.

The battle lines crash, and there is pitched fighting for quite a while, and Pact and Awakened got mixed up and the only way to tell the difference was by whether they looked undead or not, which was harder to tell than when it had been Risen they were fighting so many years ago.

The Commander worked her way methodically up the battlefield, clearing herself and her allies a path and letting the Pact deal with the rest. She still wanted to be able to free as many Awakened as possible.

Arrogantly, Joko had put himself on a hill in full view of the whole battle, and, seemingly randomly, were Awakened yelling and shaking spears between the no-man's-land of the Awakened ranks waiting their turn to fight the Pact.

Arrogance, indeed. The Pact could defeat them all, if necessary. Hopefully it wouldn't be necessary.

That is, until the Commander's jaw drops, her attention no longer on Joko in the slightest. For about five seconds.

Yes, Awakened Trahearne. The Commander gives a roar of fury - she knows how Awakened work, knows it's really Trahearne, himself and alive, but forced neverendingly to serve Joko - and barrels through the crowd of Awakened, leaving the undead Trahearne - now how weird is that - to stare after her.

The Commander launches herself at Joko, who hadn't noticed her rage-filled cry, and buries Caladbolg in the lich's chest. Of course, Joko doesn't die from so mere a wound as that, and he grins up at her face, contorted in anger.

"Nobody - Awakens - my - friends," she snarls, ripping Caladbolg out of his chest, then slashing at him again.

She'd had a long time to think about Trahearne and his death and what he'd died for and why, and she fully holds to the belief that Trahearne's last wish had not been a result of not wanting Mordremoth to get loose, but of not wanting to be controlled by it. Now, she is sure he thinks mental coercion is worse than however Joko does it, but it's still in the realm of 'being controlled.'

So, in a way, for Trahearne, being Awakened is worse than dying, and the Commander quite agrees with him.

At last, the horrible lich dies, the Awakened all stumble to a stop, and the Commander breathes a sigh of relief as her secret weapon - the Elder Crystal Dragon, Aurene - swoops out of the trees, now capable of eating Joko in a single bite.

Not _nearly_ as gross as last time. You know, until Braham shouts, "hey, I wanted to do it this time!" followed by Taimi's shriek (now magnified a hundredfold by Scruffy 3.5, who had needed to be upgraded many times) of "BRAHAM!"

"Scion, the lich is dead," Aurene proclaims, the mental declaration reverberating through the Commander's head. "Joko will cause no more trouble."

Aurene had projected her voice into the minds of everyone else, for brevity, and everyone cheers, the battle over.

"Alright," the Commander snarls, Aurene projecting her voice through the crowd - Pact and Awakened alike. "Who knew Joko could Awaken sylvari and didn't tell me?"

Silence falls. They all know it is a rhetorical question - the Commander is not angry at the supposed person who hadn't told her - and they are all simply wondering why she is asking in the first place.

"If I may, Commander," comes Trahearne's voice, raspy and Awakened-sounding but still his voice, "Joko uses quite a different method from Zhaitan. The magic of necromancy loathes Zhaitan, but it adores Joko to the extreme. And sylvari immunity does not seem to work on beings that aren't Elder Dragons."

 _Then_ everybody knows why the Commander had asked, and a doubly-loud cheer goes up.

Marshal Trahearne is back. Sure, he's Awakened, but he's still him. Obviously.

* * *

Yeah, so, getting killed by the Commander was a _lot_ less painful than he'd thought it was going to be. He exploded. Right. But at least it wasn't long, drawn-out suffering.

Yeah, right. The Commander wouldn't do that to him.

Uh, wait. How is he _thinking_ in the first place? Not that he's sorry for it - thinking is what had got him through that beast of a dragon - but still, he shouldn't be.

Ah, look at that. Literally. He's still alive... uh, kind of?

And what is up with all these 'uh's and 'ah's that would _never_ permeate Trahearne's normal thought patterns?

"Been dead for some time, this one," comes a sneering voice. "Seems sylvari deteriorate a lot slower than humans. Get up, Awakened, and tell me your name."

And Trahearne feels the strangest urge to obey. It is a part of him, a part of his nature, he _wants_ to - oh, he doesn't? Okay then, he doesn't want to. He still has to do it though.

So Trahearne gets to his feet, unsure of what is going on, and automatically opens his eyes in the process. Something he hadn't done before, oddly enough.

A lich stands before him. Trahearne can tell immediately, because of the odd kinship he feels because of the magic of necromancy. That has nothing to do with the bond he feels to this being.

His first thought is to wonder what the Commander had been getting up to since his death to let a lich so powerful come resurrect him like a Risen, and his next thought is to ask himself how he had been resurrected in the first place, given sylvari immunity to the whole Risen thing.

Well, the lich had called him 'Awakened,' which is quite ironic given the sylvari method of entering Tyria - awakening - and it is quite obviously not an Elder Dragon, and the whole sylvari immunity thing is explained by Mordremoth.

He is brought back to reality by realizing that he is telling the lich his name.

"Excellent, Trahearne," the lich says. "I am the God-King Palawa Joko, Emperor of - oh wait, actually not anymore, thanks to..." the lich trails off mumbling. "Ah, yes, Emperor of Tyria and all its environs - except Orr, that place is disgusting. To continue - Scourge of Vabbi, King Joko the Inevitable, Joko the Undying, Joko the Feared, Joko the Beloved, Joko the Eternal Monarch of All."

Alright, he gets the fact that this guy's name is 'Joko.' Other than that, just a crazy lich. Who apparently hates Orr for some reason. What anybody could have against Orr - particularly now that it has been cleansed - is beyond him. Trahearne just raises an eyebrow at Joko.

"Show some recognition," Joko snorts. "I did not Awaken you to stand there and stare at me all day."

"I can't," Trahearne replies automatically, despite trying to fight it. It just slips out, it is not mental at all. "I don't recognize you." Pale Mother, if that is true, this thing is probably going to get the perfect truth. Not something Trahearne wants Joko getting too much of.

"You _what?_ " Joko snarls. "I am - "

"I heard your name," Trahearne retorts, supremely irritated at the compulsion - irresistible compulsion, if his earlier efforts are anything to go by - to answer the other times. He'll answer on his own this time. "I am afraid I still do not know who you are, only what and how people refer to you."

Joko snarls. "Awakened Trahearne, you are my slave now, and you might as well know that I do not take kindly to being recognized. You will address me with due respect and dignity, and proceed to get out of here and join the rest of my army."

Oh, this is perfectly wonderful. Absolutely stunningly amazing. 'Due respect and dignity,' how stupid of him. This Joko is not due _any_ 'respect and dignity,' and even this Awakening magic agrees with him.

Oh, okay, maybe not entirely. He feels the slight urge to bow to this ugly monster, but that _is_ mental. Oh, interesting. Seems being a necromancer has some benefits in this wretched existence.

Aand he's already halfway down the wretched jungly corridor.

"And listen to Top General Azeem and anybody he puts over you!" Joko hollers.

What kind of name is 'Azeem'? The Great One, translated from Orrian? Wouldn't Joko name _himself_ \- ah, but 'Joko' means 'Favored of the Gods, Elder Dragons, and All Magics of the World' - just kidding. It actually means 'Pile of Dirt,' which must be why Joko felt the urge to become a lich and prove his worth. And avoid dying and decomposing into a literal pile of dirt.

Where did that sense of humor come from?

Maybe dying and being Awakened is just so weird that everything is funny.

* * *

Ah, now, this is torture. Finding loopholes in the orders he's given is fun. Such as taking 'clear the jungle' to mean 'burn it all down' instead of 'get rid of all the pesky chak and Exalted' - a task Trahearne takes to with relish, given that this particular jungle had tried to turn him into a slave, and how ironic is it that he is doing so as a semi-free-willed servant of an even worse egotistical maniac.

But also, his overseers had gotten boringly precise in their orders. He'd been asked a bunch of questions about what he had done with his life, possibly to get an idea of how much use he would be to Joko, and he had quite gleefully answered that he'd spent it studying Orr and healing it, upon which Joko's questioners had thrown him out to do jungle-clearing in disgust.

Trahearne hopes that avoiding telling them he'd also led the Pact is goign to be helpful to somebody. Like if the Commander is still out there leading it against this craze-head, and if Trahearne isn't going to run into Awakened Commander someday, as well. Which would be fun - at least he'd have a partner-in-loophole-finding - but also quite depressing.

Plus, given all the Awakened camps everywhere, and the fact that he knows the Commander had come straight to rescue him, Joko probably knows the jungle better than the Commander does, and having a level ground to face each other on is a good thing.

But, you know, after about six months, he realizes that the Commander is probably not coming. The Pact probably is - if it's still around - but the Commander would have been here already. She was irresponsible like that, but in an endearing way, he supposes. Leaving the Pact to smolder and burn while rescueing him leaves him conflicted about how he feels about the Commander's priorities, but it had all worked out in the end.

Given that, she would have been here by now, and Trahearne decides, for his own sanity - he'd been going to pieces trying to figure out how each and every order he was given was actually to the benefit of any Commander-led rescue team - to believe that she is dead.

And, somehow, it works quite well. Maybe Joko and his Awakening magic believes that she is dead, too, another nail in the Commander's coffin - an expression that is more literal than normal.

By the time he does hear rumblings and rumors of an approaching attack force, he is quite the angry, rebellius Awakened, to the amazment of all the other Awakend, who seemed to both love and fear Joko at the same time (hence his titles, it seems).

Trahearne does neither, and adds disrespect into the bargain. Joko couldn't take back his order, for whatever reason, and Trahearne is quite happy referring to him as 'arrogant pipsqueak' at every opportunity, and quoting a quite made-up verse (that he attributes to the Vizier that sank Orr, just to get under Joko's skin) about liches and snitches and long-lasting ditches (aka, graves) in the Domain of the Itches loudly as he works.

A bit juvenile, true - alright, _really_ juvenile - but it's all he has left, a fact that is more depressing than morale-boosting. Although the verse is quite funny, and a couple of the more spirited Awakened who feel like bothering to resist Joko sing it along with him, despite having the Awakened stereotypical raspy voices that make singing sound terrible.

And Joko absolutely _hates_ it. Something about being uncomfortably close to the truth for the lich, but that just means Trahearne gets to find new ways to word it each time Joko bans it.

So the 'attacking force' that is never referred to by name - so probably some rebel group, which means the Pact is gone as well - is getting closer, and the jungle is nearly all cleared away into a nice battlefield.

That had taken him some months, but it had got him away from most of the other duties. Still tedious, as Joko had taken a liking to his idea and told him exactly how to do it, and set a dutiful Awakened over him to give different directions every five minutes.

Which is the real source of his rebelliousness, since he can't help but follow the directions, and it has to be one of the worst things that ever happened to him.

He is of the opinion, personally, that no attacking force could rival Joko, but he doesn't say a single word about this to anybody.

Eventually, they march out to meet this attacking force, with Trahearne nearer the back so he can't sabotage the battle. That means he gets to sit on the hill that Joko is standing on like a kind, and watch the battle unfold until enough Awakened are dead to warrant being sent into battle. Which means, watch the battle, learn what tactics _not_ to use if he ever gets out of this hellhole serving Joko, and go back to working on whatever new project Joko thinks up after the battle and unevitable defeat of the brave rebels.

 _That_ means that he gets to watch as the Commander - unmistakably the Commander - leads a whole gigantic army of what is undoubtedly the Pact, bigger than it had even been before, into Joko's army, and watches the Commander cut her way through a million bazillion Awakened in a path set straight for Joko.

Well, isn't _that_ morale-boosting. Trahearne is under an order of silence, so he can't say a single thing about it, but he smirks as the Commander just _deals with_ the Awakened.

"Alright, it's the reserves turn," Joko decides, and that means Trahearne automatically joins the battle in a position designed to stop any threat from getting to Joko.

Of course, the orders from earlier had been 'fight the resistance,' so Trahearne is quite prepared to do some quite fancy swordplay that isn't actually effective, until the Commander inevitably 'finds' a way past his defenses and kills him again so he doesn't have to listen to Joko anymore. She knows he'd much prefer that, and he is quite ready for it. Just hopefully Joko doesn't reAwaken him.

Of course, when she finally comes face-to-face with him, it is really nice to see her eyes light up in absolute horror, but then he is quite confused as they turn to rage and she hurdles right towards him - oh, no, _past_ him, right at Joko - what is she _doing_ , she'll get murdered that way, there's a bazillion Awakened between her and - oh, she has backup.

Hi, all you people he only remembers from the time the Commander killed him. That's Canach, Braham, Marjory, Rytlock, and a few others too. Wait, is that Taimi? She's all grown up!

Oh wait, he's attacking them. Better work on that 'ineffective' thing before he kills one of them.

Yeah, that did it.

But he'd still really rather the Commander kill him. She knows how to do it painlessly, and his sentimental side gets involved. It would really be quite dramatic, if only he could see how it played out from an alternate angle. Guess why he'd asked the Commander to do it last time, instead of, say, Braham, who is Eir's son and he knows he was just itching for a shot at the dragon? Especially when the Commander didn't want to do it in the slightest.

Ah well. 'Ineffective but survivable,' and he isn't under strict orders right now, so he can stand waiting until later. He also _really_ wants to see the Commander murder Joko.

"Hello," he says cheerfully to Canach, who was the lucky person that got picked to fight him. Fight, not kill, maim, or in any way seriously injure.

Canach raises his eyebrows at him. "The Commander is going to freak out when she sees you, you know."

"She already did," Trahearne replies. "I think she's going to brutally murder Joko, and I would love to watch, but the idiot told me to fight the resistance, so I am going about ineffectually killing nobody - because fight does not mean kill - trying not to die until the Commander comes back."

"Yes, Awakened are blissfully capable of finding loopholes like that," Canach notes dryly. "Why specifically are you waiting until the Commander comes back?"

"So she can kill me," Trahearne replies promptly. "Yes, I know she doesn't want to, but I'd rather not be stuck under Joko's thumb any more."

"You do know, I am now utterly incapable of telling you," Canach replies. "I do so want to see her face when you tell her that."

"Tell me what?"

"Now, that would be telling," Canach smirks. "I don't think she even knows sylvari _can_ be Awakened, so that was a big shock. Joko doesn't like murdering plants - said it was awful for his reputation - so he made do with Awakening the already dead ones. I'm sure you know that already."

"I do. How long was I out?"

"Depends how long you've been up for," Canach shrugs. "It's the year thirteen thirty-four, if that's what you're wondering."

"Six years? I've only been up for two!" Trahearne protests.

"Two years? Joko hasn't been hiding back here for a year! We only fought Joko in Divinity's Reach a year ago, and _then_ he fled to this hellhole of a flashback zone."

"He must've played you," Trahearne replies, "because it was definitely Joko himself that Awakened me. Unless the maniac _doesn't_ actually go on and on about how he is the most magnificent, undead, lord of all the world, God-King Palawa Joko?"

"Ah, no, none of the other Awakened would dare boast for him," Canach replies disdainfully. "He's pathetic."

"Glad to see you agree," Trahearne tells him. "The Awakened are all dull and boring and haven't the slightest sense of humor, except a few sylvari that were in the crash and didn't particularly like being controlled."

"Your sense of humor isn't much," Canach reminds him.

"I like to think it's improved since I was Awakened. Being Awakened does that to you, I think. Not sure, since nobody else does it, but I can't tell you about it right now because that would interfere with fighting you."

"Ah, yes. Do tell me all about the glories of being Awakened," Canach notes. "You and Caithe, especially. She was Branded, you know, by Glint's daughter. A good kind of Branding, if such a thing is possible, but we should all compare notes about it. Mordrem, Awakened, and Branded. Interesting topic, and possibly humorous once the whole thing is over with."

"Ah, yes, I am also sure I shall die of embarrassment once what I have come up with is no longer necessary, but I will be mercilessly teased by those who endured it with me," Trahearne replies.

"And I'll get _them_ to tell me, so I can tease you as well," Canach retorts.

"Oh, that will be fun," Trahearne replies dryly. "Of course, at the moment, I can only think how hilarious it is - oh, and maybe you can tell me why Joko hates it so much. The one thing that is more funny and less serious than anything else, and Joko takes deep offense to it."

"Do tell," Canach asks curiously.

"No, not until later. You won't tell me what," Trahearne points out.

"Fair," Canach shrugs. "Oh, look, the Commander is done with Joko. I do wish you could watch what happens next. It is delightfully disgusting."

"I do believe I - is that Kralkatorrik?"

"Oh, no, just Glint's daughter, Aurene. We killed Kralkatorrik, but if more Elder Dragons die, the world would collapse, so Aurene took Kralkatorrik's power. Is really aggravating whenever I swear I'll kill all the Elder Dragons, I now have to make exception for the one good one."

Reasoning that watching this new threat counts as fighting, Trahearne stops fighting and watches the dragon - Aurene - swoop down and eat Joko in one bite.

Oh, now _that_ felt remarkably awesome.

"Oh, brambles, Aurene, you can't even eat him properly anymore," Canach notes with an annoyed huff. "You should have seen it when she was smaller, you know, it took her half an hour, and Taimi - "

"Hey, I wanted to do it this time!" Braham's voice interrupts.

"BRAHAM!" comes an older-sounding Taimi's squeal.

"Yes, Taimi was quite disgusted," Canach agrees.

"Scion, the lich is dead," somebody proclaims. "Joko will cause no more trouble."

"Ugh, I hate it when she does that," Canach notes. "Gives me flashbacks." At Trahearne's confused glance, he adds, "she said that mentally. She's Glint's daughter, apparently it runs in the family."

"Alright," the Commander's voice comes, low and deadly and impossible to carry over the crowd. "Who knew Joko could Awaken sylvari and didn't tell me?"

Silence falls on the battlefield, and Trahearne realizes this is about him.

"If I may, Commander," he tells her, while realizing he feels no urge whatsoever to be fighting anybody, "Joko uses quite a different method from Zhaitan. The magic of necromancy loathes Zhaitan, but it adores Joko to the extreme. And sylvari immunity does not seem to work on beings that aren't Elder Dragons."

And then, of course, everybody realizes what is going on, and they all cheer. And then he realizes - belatedly - that all the Awakened are freed from Joko when Joko dies.

So _that's_ why the Commander didn't bother killing him first. Well, that was nice of her.

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Yes, I came up with a solution for the whole 'Aurene talks!' problem.

And yes, I am obsessively creepy with my crazy, always Trahearne-centered oneshots. And Trahearne is massively out of character.

And I found a new style of writing - simply write as if it were Trahearne's thoughts, but since I have absolutely no idea how Trahearne's thoughts work, I just put 'him' and 'he' and 'Trahearne' instead of 'I' or 'me.' It's interesting.


	14. Chapter 14: Mini Trahearne

MY ONE-SHOTS

* * *

Summary: Tiffany wants to stay in Caladbolg's second vision for longer. The mindscape shifts to Fort Trinity, where she and Trahearne pretend that it's still 1325 for a day.

* * *

Chapter fourteen: Mini Trahearne

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

Yes, yes, I should be writing _The Unbroken_ , but this was a dream I had and you are very lucky you got it in mostly-unaltered form. This is due to the fact that I wrote it right upon waking up, and the fact that it needed only minor tweaks to make it realistic, and… probably something else, too. This version feels slightly incomplete because there's something missing, but I already forget what was in the dream at that particular part so I can't put it in until I remember.

Anyway, this is the backstory behind Trahearne's mini and how Tiffany got it, so that I don't have to feel weird when playing with a mini version of Trahearne. And because it was a dream and I always write down my GW2 dreams into fanfictions (that's where chapters one and three, _Tendrils of Terror_ and _A Daring Rescue_ respectively, came from).

Also, I mentioned Agent Kito in this chapter, because I'm fairly sure it was him in my dream but I'm not sure. He didn't act like Kito, not from what I know of him, and he certainly wouldn't ever have been in Fort Trinity, since he's an Order of Shadows Agent, but I'm fairly sure all these strangers were Kito and his non-canonical brothers. I'd rather have some way of differentiating them, anyway.

 _ **Okay, here's the story now:**_

* * *

"It was good seeing you again, Commander, even like this," Trahearne tells Tiffany.

"Do I have to leave already?" Tiffany asks with a sigh.

"Commander, you can't just stay in here!" Trahearne protests. "Tyria is waiting for you - Tyria needs you."

"Well I… I know that," Tiffany acknowledges after a moment, "but I don't want to leave quite yet. Just stay a little while."

Trahearne sighs with a hint of amusement. "If you insist, Commander. But let us leave this devastated place and go somewhere with happier memories - Fort Trinity, perhaps?"

Tiffany brightens. "Yes! We can pretend like we're still trying to fight Zhaitan." Then, she laughs, just because she feels at home already.

Caladbolg's mindscape shifts, and Tiffany recognizes Fort Trinity around her. She glances at Trahearne with a grin, noting that, despite his initial hesitancy, he seems to be happier as well. Fort Trinity has many fond memories for both of them.

"I did have one idea that I never implemented against Zhaitan," Trahearne tells her. "It never seemed like a viable tactic - but we can try it now."

"Oh, what is it?" Tiffany asks interestedly as she follows him to Caer Aval.

"You'll see," Trahearne replies mysteriously. "Now, if we're pretending to still be fighting Zhaitan, then you need to go fight off the Risen attacking the Pact's headquarters while I design a countermeasure."

"On it, Marshal!" Tiffany says with a salute, grinning. She isn't surprised that Trahearne is the one in control of the mindscape, so she hurries off to fight the Risen that are undoubtedly coming.

* * *

After the Risen have been fended off, Tiffany returns to Caer Aval, sure that there must be something she can figure out about Trahearne's secret. It turns out not to be as hard as she had anticipated.

She sees a tiny version of an airship, specifically _the Glory of Tyria_ , floating a few inches off the ground, and frowns in thought. "What is it?" she asks.

"It's a mini version of _the Glory of Tyria,_ " Trahearne tells her. "It will be able to act as a decoy when it is big enough. If it can't get bigger, I'm sure I can find a use for a mini airship."

"That's brilliant!" Tiffany beams. "Decoy airships! How are you making it? How does it work?"

Trahearne shows her how it works, but Tiffany doesn't understand it very well and gets disinterested in the behind-the-scenes mechanisms before long. Instead, she sits back and watches Trahearne make the airship get bigger, as if it were inflating.

Suddenly, it flies out of control and zooms up into Tiffany's face. She staggers back a little with a surprised yelp, drawing the attention of several other people in the room, but she recovers quickly, wearing a huge grin. "That was awesome!" she exclaims, as "How big is it going to get?"

"I don't know," Trahearne reminds her.

However, the incident had drawn attention to Trahearne's little project, and soon he is being asked questions left and right. He eventually tells them all to go fight the Risen, and Tiffany and the others hurry off to do so.

* * *

Tiffany is heading back to Caer Aval after fighting off this round of Risen, but she is diverted by a stranger. Seeing strangers in Fort Trinity is nothing new - Tiffany can hardly hope to remember the names and faces of every member of the Pact - but this stranger is different.

The male human - who seems not to know his way around the fort - comes up to Tiffany with an arrogant swagger and demands to know where their leader is. Tiffany frowns at him. "Anything you need to say to Trahearne you can say to me," she tells him.

He narrows his eyes and huffs. "If you're going to be that way," he murmurs, and draws his blade. This just makes Tiffany glad she hadn't given in to his demand, and she draws her own blade, her bow being unsuitable for this close-quarters fight.

The stranger proves to be quite adept with his sword, however, and Tiffany is locked in a stiff fight. "What's your name, anyway?" she asks.

"You can call me Kito," he replies.

"Key-toe?" Tiffany queries with a mischievous grin.

"Yes," he answers, and Tiffany sighs. That tactic never works.

Before long, of course, Trahearne comes looking for her because he knows when the battle with the Risen ended, and he also knows that Tiffany should have been back and being curious by now.

Kito stops fighting Tiffany and turns toward Trahearne - and somehow Kito knows that Trahearne is the person he was looking for - and asks to see the mini airship and be shown how it works. When asked why, his reply was so mysterious as to be a non-answer.

Since it isn't really that important, Trahearne and Tiffany show the man the workstation that had been used to craft the mini airship.

Kito learns how the workstation operates quickly enough, and fiddles with it and the mini for a few minutes.

"It's gotten bigger," Tiffany notes as she and Trahearne watch the stranger. The airship had gotten bigger - it is now knee-high, and probably would be the most annoying thing in the world to trip over.

Trahearne nods. "I think the latter stages of growth will go more quickly, but the details on the inside are still developing as the airship gets big enough to contain them."

"Oh, that makes sense," Tiffany says with a nod.

Suddenly, another stranger walks into the room, and he looks quite similar to Kito. "Kito, you cheat!" he cries.

"The Order of Shadows cannot afford to take the routes expected of us," Kito replies, turning and drawing his blade.

"And the Priory Astralarium have no means of travel but those the god-king has afforded us," Kito's adversary snarls. "You know how limited those are."

Tiffany glances at Trahearne with a frown. This is like some weird parody… but who is 'the god-king?'

Then Kito and his nemesis get into a fight, completely ignoring everybody else. Tiffany still thinks this is rather weird - especially since Trahearne doesn't know what is going on - but then another stranger appears.

This stranger seems more focused than the other two, getting distracted less easily.

No longer willing to let strangers play with his project, Trahearne tells this third stranger to leave, but instead, the stranger attacks them. Tiffany is quite alarmed when this stranger is even more skilled than Kito, and she and Trahearne together aren't capable of doing more than stalling him and tiring him out.

Neither of them are willing to use that tactic, however, because the other two strangers might finish their fight and join them, or there might be more of them.

But then Sayeh shows up, and with her help they force the third stranger to flee.

* * *

"Hey," Tiffany says slowly. "Wouldn't it be fun to make mini-versions of other people and watch them fight? I've always wondered how Canach and Braham would fight against each other - and if they can fight each other, can they fight Risen, or other dragon minions?"

"It can't hurt to try," Trahearne shrugs, "since we're only in a vision anyway." He turns and tells Kito and his enemy to take their fight elsewhere, and the two comply without much trouble.

It takes a while, but soon there are life-size versions of Canach and Braham fighting each other, which Tiffany thinks is absolutely hilarious.

Meanwhile, the mini airship is now double its previous size, rather impossible to trip over at waist height - except perhaps for a norn - and rather heavy. Tiffany hopes it doesn't get out of control again.

As the airship grows, the mini workstation is freer to do other things, like growing minis of people, and Tiffany gets to see General Almorra fight Destiny's Edge. Even though the outcome to that fight was rather expected, it was still fun to watch. Another fight was Caithe versus Sayeh, assassin versus assassin, and Marjory versus Scarlet, which Tiffany had always wanted to know the outcome of. It turns out that the mini of Scarlet was very underpowered, since Trahearne didn't want her getting away and messing things up like she had in real life, outside the vision. Tiffany wants to see a version of Forgal versus Rytlock, which ends up in a tie. This outcome leaves Tiffany with a smug smirk, because that means both Forgal and Rytlock are awesome.

* * *

After a while, Kito and the other strangers - who are all friends now - come back, but Tiffany, with the help of the minis of her other friends, fight them off so that Trahearne can focus on the airship.

After a pitched battle in the middle of Fort Trinity, supplemented by Risen that don't care which side they attack, the strangers are driven off. As Forgal and General Almorra deal with the third stranger, Destiny's Edge take on Kito. Braham, Canach, Marjory, Scarlet and Sayeh fight the second stranger.

After the strangers are driven off again, Tiffany insists that Trahearne fight the minis and see how he does, and that she will do the same.

Trahearne wins against most of them, although he can't fight General Almorra or Destiny's Edge alone, and fighting Forgal ends in a tie. Sayeh is last, and by this point Trahearne is rather tired out, and so Sayeh beats him after some fighting.

Tiffany fares similarly, except that she fights in reverse order and beats Sayeh while losing out to General Almorra and Destiny's Edge.

Then the Kito strangers show up again, but they insist that they will be nice now and just want to watch Trahearne making more minis.

Now that he has seen how effective the minis are - and since people have stopped bothering him to do other things - Trahearne gets back to growing the airship.

* * *

Once the airship is done - it had stopped growing when it got to normal airship size, so it isn't quite as big as the real version of _the Glory of Tyria_ \- Kito and his friends start fighting them again.

The other minis seem to have malfunctioned, and do nothing but run around aimlessly, so Tiffany and Trahearne have to fight off these enemies by themselves. The strangers are routinely distracted by the life-size models of these powerful figures, so Tiffany and Trahearne manage to win and drive them off.

"Why did I ever want to fight them with the minis?" Tiffany asks. "I much prefer fighting with you."

"I agree," Trahearne tells her with a smile. "We beat most of the minis, anyway."

"And the minis did stop working," Tiffany frowns. "Does that mean this isn't a realistically viable strategy?"

"I'm afraid not," Trahearne replies. "They should still make good decoys, however."

Tiffany grins. "Maybe we can scare the next Elder Dragon with a bunch of mini airships."

"Perhaps," Trahearne replies. "But I do believe you should be getting out of the vision soon - I'm sure Ridhais will be worrying."

"One thing first," Tiffany says. "I want a mini of you that I can take with me."

Trahearne frowns. "I'm not sure that's how they work… but if you insist."

"Don't make it _big_ ," Tiffany tells him. "Just actually a mini version. Maybe as high as my knee. It can ride on my shoulder or something."

Trahearne laughs. "Alright," he tells her. "Maybe you can figure out how to operate the workstation so you can make it yourself if it doesn't work."

"Maybe," Tiffany agrees. "But it is really confusing."

* * *

Later, when the mini is done - knee high, capable of riding on Tiffany's shoulder - and Tiffany _has_ learned how to operate the workstation, it is time for her to leave. "I'm glad we had this time together," she says to her friend. "It was nice just having fun for a day."

"I quite agree," Trahearne tells her. "But now you have a mini to remember me by, and Caladbolg. I'm sure you will defeat all the Elder Dragons and any other large threats to Tyria."

Tiffany smiles at him. "I certainly shall," she assures him. "That or die trying. But that's already assumed, of course."

"I hope you don't," Trahearne says gravely. "Be smart - don't try to die."

"Certainly not," Tiffany replies. "But if it happens I don't think I'll complain _too_ much. Good bye, my friend."

"Good bye," Trahearne answers. "I hope to hear of all your victories when I see you next."

* * *

"Commander?" Ridhais asks uncertainly. "What's that?"

"It worked!" Tiffany beams. The mini version of Trahearne is standing next to her as she rises from her position kneeling in front of Caladbolg. "It's a mini version of Trahearne," she tells the valiant. "Just to remember him by."

Ridhais frowns. "That's… unusual."

"I know," Tiffany replies. "But Trahearne made it for me - I don't care if it's unusual."

* * *

 _Author's Notes:_

So that is the secret lore and backstory of Mini Trahearne. Yes, it is weird and unusual… but it was a dream. Of _course_ it was weird and unusual. I still don't know why I was dreaming about that. But now I don't have to feel weird with a mini version of Trahearne running around next to Tiffany, because with no backstory that _is_ a bit crazy.

And I figured that if Kito was an Order of Shadows Agent, there might as well be parodies of the other Orders in Elona, too. So I completely made up the Priory Astralarium and was too tired to mess it up further. I was unsure how to make a parody of the Vigil - maybe the third stranger is a Sunspear or something - but like I said, I'm tired.

Also (but I was too tired to write this part): Tiffany shows Ridhais how to operate the workstation so Ridhais makes all the other minis in the game. The end.


End file.
